What the American Flag Stands For

[Crimson and Clover]

(Charlotte Aldebron, 12, wrote this essay for a competition in her
6th grade English class. She attends Cunningham Middle School in
Presque Isle, Maine.)

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very
important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or
to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be
treated with respect.

You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you
compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if
a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all
over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up,
folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.

School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every
morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and
human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair
wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water,
or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love
a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.

Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her
creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to
see how little of the flag's real meaning remains.

[C Doody]

The Flag represents the freedom and equality our country has. Both of which were fought hard for. It makes me sick to see people in the streets burning and stepping on the flag like that. Its Disgusting.

By the way, Presque Isle Maine is about 10 Minutes from here :lol:

[¤I Love Clay Aiken¤]

The flag represents freedom to me. It also represents the history we have been through and what we had to do to earn it.

[laceyinthesky]

Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of seeing our flag everywhere? It's not that I have any disrespect for it or anything, it's just that people will flaunt it around because it looks "cool" and not because they're trying to give meaning to it.

[C Doody]

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of seeing our flag everywhere? It's not that I have any disrespect for it or anything, it's just that people will flaunt it around because it looks "cool" and not because they're trying to give meaning to it.

I Had the Flag as my Avatar for few days out of respect for the American Soldiers who are fighting for us right now.

[ABlairican Pie]

I agree, people seem to equate the meaning of the flag with patriotism itself, and not the IDEALS the flag represents. Freedom, yeah, that's a cool word. Freedom is--what we Americans are, oh yeah. The terrorists attacked because they hate freedom. Why are we clamping down on individual liberties?
No, not because we hate or fear freedom, we just figure it's not a good thing to have while Bush is in office and we are at war. Yep, 2004 is smellin' pretty good right about now.


Damn it, where are my Victory Fries??patriot: peace:

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of seeing our flag everywhere? It's not that I have any disrespect for it or anything, it's just that people will flaunt it around because it looks "cool" and not because they're trying to give meaning to it.

Gosh, tell me about it!!:rolleyes: I get disgusted when I see these pickups roll past with a big flag billowing past in the bed of the vehicle--and you can see the flag getting frayed--this is the IMPROPER use of the flag and is a desecration. I can imagine some of this patriotic Pickup-driving Pitbull owners would love to waste some Sikhs or other people in the name of "American freedom".:rolleyes:

Yeah, also I kinda noticed something else. Now American flags posted on stuff have been on people's cars since 1776, so it's nothing new... But did you ever notice that after 9/11, there was this over abundance of the WAVY flags posted everywhere, instead of the normal flat ones? The wavy flags all seem to represent the post-9/11 patriotic wave. You never noticed the wavy flags before.

My Victory Fries are getting cold...patriot: peace:

[Kitt]

Originally posted by Captain ABlairica


Gosh, tell me about it!!:rolleyes: I get disgusted when I see these pickups roll past with a big flag billowing past in the bed of the vehicle--and you can see the flag getting frayed--this is the IMPROPER use of the flag and is a desecration. I can imagine some of this patriotic Pickup-driving Pitbull owners would love to waste some Sikhs or other people in the name of "American freedom".:rolleyes:

Yeah, also I kinda noticed something else. Now American flags posted on stuff have been on people's cars since 1776, so it's nothing new... But did you ever notice that after 9/11, there was this over abundance of the WAVY flags posted everywhere, instead of the normal flat ones? The wavy flags all seem to represent the post-9/11 patriotic wave. You never noticed the wavy flags before.

My Victory Fries are getting cold...patriot: peace: Patriotism on the cheap. No blood shed, no sacrifice, no intellectual thought. Just slap a flag on your vehicle or home or place of business, and indulge in the American dream.

[Fleet]

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of seeing our flag everywhere? It's not that I have any disrespect for it or anything, it's just that people will flaunt it around because it looks "cool" and not because they're trying to give meaning to it.
I love seeing the American flag. Who in their right mind would be "tired" of seeing it? It represents all of the sacrifices that were made to have a free country. If you don't like seeing it, you can always move to Mexico or somewhere else.

[Central Perk]

Originally posted by Fleet

I love seeing the American flag. Who in their right mind would be "tired" of seeing it? It represents all of the sacrifices that were made to have a free country. If you don't like seeing it, you can always move to Mexico or somewhere else.

I don't think that Lacey is necessarily tired of seeing the American flag, but she just does not like to see it just stuck somewhere because someone thinks its cool.

I also don't think that someone should have to move to Mexico just because they don't like seeing it? If you don't like the flag that doesn't make you less American than anyone. What makes you American is if you are proud of the freedoms you have in this country, not if you like the flag or not.

[laceyinthesky]

Originally posted by Dr. Frasier Crane


I don't think that Lacey is necessarily tired of seeing the American flag, but she just does not like to see it just stuck somewhere because someone thinks its cool.

I also don't think that someone should have to move to Mexico just because they don't like seeing it? If you don't like the flag that doesn't make you less American than anyone. What makes you American is if you are proud of the freedoms you have in this country, not if you like the flag or not.

Thankyou. That's exactly what I meant. I'm not tired of seeing the flag, I'm just tired of seeing the way some people have been representing it. It annoys the hell out of me to see someone with a flag attached to their car window deliberately run a red light or cut someone off the road. If they're supposed to be respecting our country, they first need to learn to respect the people in our country.

And I'm getting really sick of hearing people saying things like leave the country if you don't like something about it. I'm sure if you had kids you wouldn't like every little thing about them, that doesn't just mean you're going to leave them.

[Janice]

I love the American flag and all it represents. I always have. I've always had touches of patriotism around my home.
As for the resurgence of patriotism following September 11th, I'm not bothered by it. The event was so horrifying that it brought out an intense sense of patriotism in most Americans.
The American flag would never offend me. Whether it's on postage stamps, celebrity pins, cars, t-shirts, whatever--it's impossible for any display of the American flag to bother me.
It's a show of respect to our great country.

Rally round' the flag. patriot:

[*ShortCake*]

Originally posted by Janice
I love the American flag and all it represents. I always have. I've always had touches of patriotism around my home.
As for the resurgence of patriotism following September 11th, I'm not bothered by it. The event was so horrifying that it brought out an intense sense of patriotism in most Americans.
The American flag would never offend me. Whether it's on postage stamps, celebrity pins, cars, t-shirts, whatever--it's impossible for any display of the American flag to bother me.
It's a show of respect to our great country.

Rally round' the flag. patriot:

I agree with everything you said!!!

[Brian Damage]

Janice, you took the words out of my mouth. I'll never get tired of seeing the flag, nor will I assume that people just use it to be cool. It is much better than burning flags and saying your embarrassed to be an American. Yet, still take advantage of all of this country's freedoms.

[Fleet]

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
I'm not tired of seeing the flag, I'm just tired of seeing the way some people have been representing it. It annoys the hell out of me to see someone with a flag attached to their car window deliberately run a red light or cut someone off the road. If they're supposed to be respecting our country, they first need to learn to respect the people in our country.

Even bad drivers can be patriotic!

[Fleet]

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
And I'm getting really sick of hearing people saying things like leave the country if you don't like something about it. I'm sure if you had kids you wouldn't like every little thing about them, that doesn't just mean you're going to leave them.
Good (patiotic) Americans don't mind at all seeing the American flag all over the place (yes, even in cars).
The ones who criticize this country the most are usually the ones who stay here anyway. It's true, though... if you don't like it here, leave. No one is stopping anyone from leaving. (Could it be that deep down they know they have it better here than anywhere else?)

[webuster]

The essay has alot of meaning. It's silly that it's against the law to let the flag touch the ground. Many people might think it isn't silly, but think it's silly Muslim's keep the Quran at the highest place in the house, always wash before touching it, must be on a stand and pages turned with some type of pointer. We were told a story in school about a teacher in england with muslim students who didn't know about the Quran's repsect, and passed the quran's round like novels.

[laceyinthesky]

Originally posted by Fleet

Good (patiotic) Americans don't mind at all seeing the American flag all over the place (yes, even in cars).
The ones who criticize this country the most are usually the ones who stay here anyway. It's true, though... if you don't like it here, leave. No one is stopping anyone from leaving. (Could it be that deep down they know they have it better here than anywhere else?)

I agree.. We do have it better here than most other places. That doesn't mean that I have to agree with every single thing.

[Ags2000]

Originally posted by Crimson_and_Clover
(Charlotte Aldebron, 12, wrote this essay for a competition in her
6th grade English class. She attends Cunningham Middle School in
Presque Isle, Maine.)

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very
important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or
to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be
treated with respect.

You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you
compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if
a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all
over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up,
folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.

School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every
morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and
human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair
wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water,
or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love
a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.

Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her
creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to
see how little of the flag's real meaning remains.

Well, what can I say to that other then that is the words of a 12 year old who doesn't know any better. The words of a 12 year old that hasn't really learned what that glorious flag is all about, much less what it represents.

The words of a 12 year old who has never seen the grief of that flag draped over a casket. The owrds of a 12 year old who will never know the comfort that flag brings to families left behind that the only thing they have to remember their loved ones with is that flag folded up in a case somewhere in the house.

The words of a 12 year old who doesn't know what it feels like to have to know the location of a bag in the house that contains passports, and other information to prove that you are a U.S. citizen that you will have to take with you if your parents are not home at the time you here the sirens saying everybody has to clear out NOW. Knowing that it might be weeks before you see your parents again in the states IF they made it out. Oh, and did I mention, you had to do this even at 2 years of age?

This essay come from the mind of a 12 year old that can NEVER comprehend the fact that some people will NEVER be able to visit the graves of loved ones b/c there IS no body left.

This essay is from the mind of a 12 year old who has never really experienced life. Has not had to face the horrors of war, famine, or dictatorships because that was taken care of years ago by people fighting for that "piece of cloth"

You see, the flag is NOT just a piece of cloth. It represents US...it represents ALL those people burried at Arlington Cemetery...it represents all of those burried over seas during time of war...it represents OUR FREEDOM!


D

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally posted by Ags2000


Well, what can I say to that other then that is the words of a 12 year old who doesn't know any better. The words of a 12 year old that hasn't really learned what that glorious flag is all about, much less what it represents.

The words of a 12 year old who has never seen the grief of that flag draped over a casket. The owrds of a 12 year old who will never know the comfort that flag brings to families left behind that the only thing they have to remember their loved ones with is that flag folded up in a case somewhere in the house.

The words of a 12 year old who doesn't know what it feels like to have to know the location of a bag in the house that contains passports, and other information to prove that you are a U.S. citizen that you will have to take with you if your parents are not home at the time you here the sirens saying everybody has to clear out NOW. Knowing that it might be weeks before you see your parents again in the states IF they made it out. Oh, and did I mention, you had to do this even at 2 years of age?

This essay come from the mind of a 12 year old that can NEVER comprehend the fact that some people will NEVER be able to visit the graves of loved ones b/c there IS no body left.

This essay is from the mind of a 12 year old who has never really experienced life. Has not had to face the horrors of war, famine, or dictatorships because that was taken care of years ago by people fighting for that "piece of cloth"

You see, the flag is NOT just a piece of cloth. It represents US...it represents ALL those people burried at Arlington Cemetery...it represents all of those burried over seas during time of war...it represents OUR FREEDOM!


D

I understand how people can abuse the meaning of the flag--but it IS NOT just a piece of cloth with pretty designs. Is abuse of the cross justified because it's just a piece of metal?

SYMBOLS MEAN THINGS.

Btw, I advise everyone out there to rent the movie "Not Without My Daughter." When you see it, you'll know why.

[bandito]

Great post Ags! :)

[Ags2000]

Originally posted by bandito
Great post Ags! :)


:) Thanks.

D