Replacing Old Glory

We fly the Stars & Stripes in front of our home every day - not just on Independence Day.  We love our country.  Is it perfect?  No, but it is the greatest country on earth.  Why?  Because of its people and because our Founders (who were not perfect people, but who is? I certainly miss the mark by a very wide margin), set up a system based on Judeo-Christian values, that has no comparison in the world.  If we are so greatly flawed, why to people continually flock to our shores to be a part of this great experiment in freedom?  The following quote has been falsely attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville, but regardless who said it, I think it is true:

“Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the greatness and genius of America. America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good America will cease to be great.”

Our flag, due to display in inclement weather, heat and cold, and the ravages of the sun, is ragged and worn, not unlike the flag in our National Anthem.  Ours doesn't have cannon ball holes in it fortunately.  But each morning when we wake and look out by the 'dawn's early light,' She's still there.  But She needs replacing.  It's shameful and unpatriotic to continue displaying the flag like this.

So earlier this week, I passed by a store and turned in.  I wanted to purchase a new flag to fly on Independence Day.

After getting my purchase home and beginning to take it out of the package, I noticed something that might be indicative of some of our problems in our country.  

Our American Flag.  Made in China.  I'm sure that there are American Flags made in America.  I hope they are.  I should have checked before leaving the store.  I want to support American workers.  Anyway, back at home, I took the old flag down and folded it as I was taught in Boy Scouts (RIP).  Tricia was out so I folded it by myself.  The final product wasn't as crisp as I'd been taught or as I taught my scouts.  My old scoutmaster would be disappointed in me.  I'd have to fold it again and again until I got it right.

I unfurled the new flag and displayed it as the other worn flag.  The colors were sharper and brighter.  There were no frayed, tattered edges as the old one had.  I felt a resurgence of pride and patriotism in what our flag stands for.  Freedom is so important.  Free people often take it for granted.  I never want to take it for granted.

In the photo above you can see a puddle of water beneath the column.  I'll tell you what that's all about.  When getting on a ladder to hang the new flag, I noticed a wasp nest about the size of a silver dollar with four nervous and aggressive wasps discussing amongst themselves where they were going to sting me when I got atop the ladder.  Not today, my friends.  I walked inside and got a small sauce pan of water boiling and added Dawn dishwashing liquid to it.  When it was appropriately hot, I took it off the fire and stirred it up.  Walking outside I sloshed the hot, soapy concoction up toward the wasp nest, covering it.  The four wasps fell to their deaths unceremoniously as I set the pan down and hung Old Glory.

The next project was to determine how to retire the worn flag.  You can burn it.  I didn't want to do that.  You can bury it.  I didn't want to do that either.  As it turns out, the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home is in our town.  It is a nice place that treats our veterans with dignity and respect.  The place is immaculate and the workers love the residents.  I drove there down an avenue of flags that gently waved in the humid, summer air.

Right by the entrance there is a drop box for retired flags.  I deposited ours in the box.

Out with the old and in with the new.  I love America, and I'll continue to fly Old Glory.  She'll never come down and no other flag will replace her.  May God bless America!