Posted on 06/19/2007 5:19:30 AM PDT by Ouderkirk
June 14 was the day historically recognized as "Flag Day." The day was first celebrated in 1885, officially established by proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson May 30, 1916, and signed by President Truman as an act of Congress so designating same Aug. 3, 1949.
Growing up and in my mind, so still even today, the flag of the United States was/is an indelible representation of opportunity and freedom available to all in this great nation.
As Beverly Hernandez writes, "National flags are not merely symbols of a country. Their colors and designs convey past history and future goals. Flags have powerful connotations. … In every country of the world, the treatment of [its] flag displays an opinion or statement." ("Celebrate Flag Day – The History of Flag Day"; About.com; Homeschooling)
Which brings me to my point – no other flag embodies a more complex history or vestige of principles than does America's. It is a symbol of not only freedom and opportunity, but one of welcome.
It is this responsibility that President Bush and no few members of Congress deface in their attempt to bestow upon illegal criminals the rights and privileges for which courageous and heroic Americans risked all and shed blood, so this nation could be a symbol unlike any other in the civilized world.
Borrowing from Michelle Malkin's June 13 column, the flag is not honored, nor are those who defended same, when "immigration lawyers and ethnic activists run a massive, lucrative industry whose sole objective is to help illegal aliens and convicted criminal visa holders evade deportation for as long as possible. Entry into [our] country [is] a privilege, not a right."
The flag flies as a symbol of welcome to all who would seek entry legally, desiring to embrace the culture it represents. The flag honors the Declaration of Independence in that "All men are created equal." Nowhere is it written or intimated that "all illegals are created with more rights than the citizens of our country."
The flag flew proudly, its "Stars and Stripes" gleaming at the end of slavery, when women were given full rights commensurate with men, at the revocation of Jim Crow, and as brave men and women returned home from defending her. It is not a representative welcome to those who come here not to assimilate, but rather, to undermine and subvert.
The president and Congress do not honor the flag they salute, nor those who died in its defense, when they circumvent immigration laws through special legislation, introducing bills that would grant special private relief to individual immigrants fighting deportation – in many instances for illegals that have compounded their criminal actions with murder, rape and other criminal atrocities.
President Bush does not honor our flag, or those who defended/defend it in his convoluted and misguided push to have Congress ratify the United Nations' Law of the Sea Treaty. Said treaty is designed to transfer wealth and technology from the industrialized states to the Third World. Ronald Reagan refused to participate in a treaty that would create a new ocean bureaucracy that would ultimately cost taxpayers (vis-à-vis government expenditures) dearly.
Public schools no more honor the flag than they do the Constitution when they teach that it is a form of freedom of speech to desecrate the flag – nor does a Congress that refuses to protect Old Glory. It is one thing for Congress to hide behind high and lofty magnanimous verbiage pursuant to how the Constitution allows for such behavior, but it is another to we who view such behavior as spitting on the graves of those buried in Arlington National Cemetery and in the faces of our ancestors. How does the freedom to burn our flag translate into respect for what it stands for? How should we feel when the president and members of Congress malign those of us who take exception with illegals who fly our flag upside down, cast it under foot and burn it?
The flag flies over a nation that speaks English. English is not the principle language – it must be the official language.
Many of us grew up in a day and time in which the flag was honored and revered. Many children today grow up with no clear understanding of that which the flag truly represents. They know more about "American Idol" and MTV than they do the meaning of the Stars and Stripes of our flag.
With so little understanding – and a Congress and president doing all they can to diminish same – is it any wonder young people today have little or no respect for what America represents? Is it any wonder illegals have no qualms about desecrating one of our most treasured symbols? Is it a flag representing the sovereignty of the United States, or a signal to "cross the border now – while no one is looking"?
Clean, dust free shoes as they enter the country?
Did our forefathers serve in foreign lands to defend the rights of illegals?
Do our servicemen and women fight in Iraq to defend illegals and provide them with protection under the Constitution?
Are the names on the Wall in D.C. chiseled there to commemorate the fight for illegals' rights?
Do the crosses in Arlington stand for the men and women whose sacrifice was for illegals or U.S. citizens?
Did we invade Normandy at great cost to ensure that illegals get amnesty?
Didn't we send troops to Kuwait to push out thousands of illegals who invaded her?
What ideals are our soldiers fighting for today? Is it really to satisfy the hordes of illegals in our country?
“What Old Glory means to illegals”
...free health care, free housing, free food stamps, free guvmit cheese and free laxatives with which to help the cheese’ passage.
ping
...and what lesson do they derive from the words and deeds of the Democrat Party, who miss no opportunity to disparage and defame our President and our policies?
Diiferent issue. The dems are defaming the soldiers more than the president with regards to Iraq, IMO.
Bush has presented himself as more concerned with the Iraq/Iran border than with the U.S. borders. Sovereignty is something to be protected and revered in Iraq under Bush but not U.S. sovereignty.
You got it.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States[1] to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico, that ended the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). The treaty provided for the Mexican Cession, in which Mexico ceded 1.36 million km² (525,000 square miles) (about 40% of its pre-war territory) to the United States in exchange for US$15 million. The United States also agreed to take over $3.25 million in debts Mexico owed to American citizens.
The spoils of a war Mexico lost.
Ping!
I get pretty tired of those idiots screaming “Learn the history” when they clearly don’t know it themselves.
The few Mexicans that were in what became the present day USA happily changed sides. Those people were basically left as place holders and all but forgotten by Mexico.
As I understand it, American soldiers were welcomed throughout much of what became present day northern Mexico as well. There was no real serious resistance until American soldiers approached Mexico city.
As far as I’m concerned we should have kept the northern half of the country as well.
And after we caputed Mexico city we were nice enough to give BACK Mexico city and the northern HALF of mexico plus we payed good money for the rest.
Dang sure ain't gonna do that next time we conquer mexico!
Here’s one to add to your collection. Scroll down a bit.
http://www.theterryandersonshow.com/
caption: I stood DIRECTLY IN FRONT of this guy as he was attempting to burn the U.S. flag. He was surrounded by news reporters and cameramen, BUT the news reports tonight stated “during the march someone attempted to burn a flag, but they were stopped”. There was NO mention which country’s flag was being burnt and by who! AND there were no photos or video of this act although the flag burner was surrounded by cameras flashing and taping him doing it.
The media just will NOT tell the truth! (I have already sent this photo to all my local media)
Please pass this picture around. -—Eileen Garcia - [Photo shot 3.25.07 in Downtown Los Angeles]
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