July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
A lesson to mark flag day (06/10/06)
Letter to the Editor
To the editor:
This is not your usual Flag Day (14 June) presentation.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” This original pledge is credited to Frances Bellamy of Boston, Mass., and appeared on Thursday, 8 September 1892 in The Youth Companion magazine, of which he was an associate editor. Its writing was to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America. The pledge was recited for the first time by public school children during the patriotic exercises of the National School Celebration called by President Benjamin Harrison on Thursday 12 October 1892.
Wording of the pledge was expanded under President Warren Gamaliel Harding on Friday 14 June 1923 when “of the United States” was added. One year later on Saturday 14 June 1924 President John Calvin Coolidge declared “of America” would be included. The last expansion was “under God” on Monday 14 June 1954 during David Dwight Eisenhower’s (the Army reversed his names) presidency.
The U.S. was the first nation to display stars on a national flag. No individual star represents a particular state. Its doubtful if Elisabeth Grissom (who married John Ross and answered to Betsy) ever made our national flag. She did sew flags for the Pennsylvania Navy. There’s a strong assumption that Francis Hopkins created the country’s first flag. When Vermont and Kentucky entered the Union, a 15-stripe U.S. flag was in effect from 1792 to 1818.
The first of these were sewn by Mary Pickersgill and daughter, Caroline. It was this 15-star flag that inspired a 35-year-old attorney, Francis Scott Key, in 1814, to pen our national anthem.
Samual Chester Reid, a 21-year-old Navy midshipman, was responsible for returning our flag to 13 stripes. On Thursday 11 August 1831, Captain William Driver aboard the brig (ship) Charles Bogget, in a burst of patriotism, cried out “oh glory” when observing our nation’s flag. It stuck. In 2001, Vernona, N.J., and Oaks, Pa., were the principle U.S. flag makers.
In 1958, high school student Robert Heft in Lancaster, Ohio, designed a 50-star flag. His history project rated a “B” from his teacher and the design was accepted by Congress. Flag Day was created in Waubeka, Wisc., on Sunday 14 June 1885 by 19-year-old Bernard J. Cigrand, a teacher at the Stony Hill School. In 1912 the 66 official U.S. flag sizes, with exceptions, were reduced to three. They’re basically referred to by the Army names as storm, post, and garrison/holiday, their respective sizes in feet measuring 1x1.9, 5x9.5 and 10 x 19. Those displayed on military vehicles are also identified as standards, carried by troops as colors and aboard ships as ensigns. (The original ensign was a French Army rank responsible for guarding the French tricolor). The U.S. Army began using gold fringe on the national flag in 1835 and it became officials for the Army in 1895. The traditional thinking for folding the flag triangular is to commemorate the tricornered hats of our forefathers.
Memorial Day is honored by displaying the flag at half mast until noon, when a 21-gun salute is fired, or until 12:20 p.m. if no gun salute. Pennsylvania is the only state declaring Flag Day (14 June) a holiday.
Flag rules are in conflict stating only two flags may be hoisted above the U.S. flag on the same staff; the church pennant when conducting religious services at sea and the United Nations flag. The first U.S. flag so displayed was aboard the Navy destroyer USS Putnam DD-747 off Haifia, Israel, on Friday 23 July 1948.
The conflict with our Pledge of Allegiance is when it declares “one nation UNDER God” but here in Jay County and elsewhere, all churches display the U.S. flag OVER the church pennant. Technically, this is correct for a “shore station” but it violates the pledge.
Flag poles must be free standing with no guide wires. There are five basic ornaments, known as finials, that adorn U.S. flag pole tops: from lowest to highest in status the are flat truck (nail head shape) star, ball, halberd, and eagle. The rules for each in the military and naval service are quite extensive and rigidly followed. There are additional civilian guidelines but are rarely obeyed.
Aboard Navy ships while in port, the U.S. flag is displayed on a flag staff at the stern (rear), while a union jack (a blue field with 50 stars identical in size to the blue field in the U.S. flag) is hoisted on a jack staff at the extreme bow (front). Union jack is also the name of the British national flag. Since 22 May 2002, the blue Navy union jack has been replaced by a “Don’t Tread On Me” rattlesnake flag, first displayed in 1775. This will continue until the war on terrorism is won. While underway, the rattlesnake flag is removed and the U.S. flag transferred to a gaff from the ship’s mast.
Other U.S. Navy shipboard flag rules are of interest. A ship’s commissioning pennant is hoisted on a pigstick (that’s the official name). Although unofficial, woe be unto the signalman who does not have a Jolly Roger (a pirate flag with white skull and crossbones on black) in his inventory. This is hoisted on the port yardarm when crewmembers cross the equator the first time and must be initiated into the kingdom of Neptunus Rex. (On Tuesday 7 February 1800 the frigate Essex was the first U.S. Navy ship to cross the equator). Officially there are 68 different signal flags and pennants in a set (four sets are carried) for use in visual communication on sea-going ships. Although forty-six represent letters or numbers, all use color patterns. For reasons unknown to me, the “V” flag is identical to the Alabama state flag and the “C” flag is the same as the Costa Rican national flag. When the crew is at meals in port, the “E” flag is displayed, whose color pattern matches the Liechtenstein flag. Common sense diplomacy is a must; if Liechtenstein dignitaries are visiting during this time period and learn the true reason for displaying their “national flag,” they may get the impression the U.S. thinks their country is “out to lunch.” So it would not be hoisted. (It would cost us millions in foreign aid to smooth ruffled feathers).
Monaco and Indonesia national flags are identical. Turned upside down they become Polish flags. Kuwait and India citizens are forbidden to possess or display their national flags.
Amelia Island (home to Fernandina Beach), Fla., has the lone distinction of being under eight different flags: Spanish, French, English, Mexican, Confederate, two pirates and the U.S. On the opposite end, Idaho is the only state to never have a foreign flag dominate its land. Forty-five state and four commonwealths (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) have their own flags. Among this group of 49, Oregon’s flag is unique with different patterns on each side. Ohio stands alone by having a swallow-tailed pennant but no flag. The last official Confederate Flag was lowered aboard the Confederate States Ship Shenandoah on 6 November 1865 at Liverpool, England. Mississippi voted in 2001 to keep the Confederate pattern in their flag while Georgia voters decided in 2003 to eliminate it. The best known pattern of the Confederate Flag, which was recognized as the Symbol of the South, was actually the Confederate Navy jack and never meant for display ashore. (Will Hawaiians demand the British flag symbol be removed from theirs)? On Friday 19 September 1975, off the Turkish coast, a British Flag was hoisted aboard a U.S. Navy Ship, the USS Joseph Daniels CG-27. British Admiral J.H.F. Eberle used the Daniels as his flagship for a multi-nation exercise. This was the first raising of a British Flag on an American warsihp since 1812.
The origin for the music of our national anthem is not certain, but it’s first playing at a sporting event was in 1862 at a baseball game in Brooklyn on a field owned by William Commeyer. Beginning in 1908 the U.S. Marine band would stand while playing it and all citizens (well most) continue to follow their example. On Tuesday 3 March 1931 an Act of Congress made it the official anthem of the U.S. As for baseball and the anthem, the Atlanta Braves are really missing out when they don’t end the singing of it by adding an “S” to the last word: “the land of the free and the home of the Braves.”
There are many rules and regulations governing the display of our national flag, but very few laws. One law forbids the use of our flag in a trademark. As for flag protection, on Tuesday 22 December 1942, Public Law 829 of the 77th Congress was passed. Another protection law was approved on Wednesday 21 June 1989, then struck down on Monday 11 June 1990. Legally (or technically), this allows a military person in uniform on duty to shine his shoes with the U.S. flag. It’s just a matter of time until someone puts this to a test. (He/she is only exercising his/her “rights and freedoms”). It’s equally disturbing when many Jayland businesses and homes, through neglect, allow their U.S. flags to deteriorate into shredded strips of faded rags for all to see. And we take “pride” in our Jay County Patriots and nation?
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has stated the Senate will debate the Flag Protection Amendment before the July 4th recess. This amendment, sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch, will seek to overturn the 1990 ruling. Once all the steps are taken, 38 states must approve ratification within 10 years. A constitutional amendment for flag protection is a long shot at best. Over 9,100 amendments for all causes have been proposed since 1889: only 14 have been sent to the states for ratification of which 12 were actually approved.
There is another method, which to my knowledge has never been used, known as the Constitutional Convention which must be called by Congress if two thirds of the states request it. This may never happen as apparently too many states (and citizens) see it as rights infringement. Even without a flag protection amendment, Old Glory was never meant for a toilet paper supplement no matter how liberal you interpret our Constitution’s first amendment.
Roy L. Leverich
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
This is not your usual Flag Day (14 June) presentation.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” This original pledge is credited to Frances Bellamy of Boston, Mass., and appeared on Thursday, 8 September 1892 in The Youth Companion magazine, of which he was an associate editor. Its writing was to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America. The pledge was recited for the first time by public school children during the patriotic exercises of the National School Celebration called by President Benjamin Harrison on Thursday 12 October 1892.
Wording of the pledge was expanded under President Warren Gamaliel Harding on Friday 14 June 1923 when “of the United States” was added. One year later on Saturday 14 June 1924 President John Calvin Coolidge declared “of America” would be included. The last expansion was “under God” on Monday 14 June 1954 during David Dwight Eisenhower’s (the Army reversed his names) presidency.
The U.S. was the first nation to display stars on a national flag. No individual star represents a particular state. Its doubtful if Elisabeth Grissom (who married John Ross and answered to Betsy) ever made our national flag. She did sew flags for the Pennsylvania Navy. There’s a strong assumption that Francis Hopkins created the country’s first flag. When Vermont and Kentucky entered the Union, a 15-stripe U.S. flag was in effect from 1792 to 1818.
The first of these were sewn by Mary Pickersgill and daughter, Caroline. It was this 15-star flag that inspired a 35-year-old attorney, Francis Scott Key, in 1814, to pen our national anthem.
Samual Chester Reid, a 21-year-old Navy midshipman, was responsible for returning our flag to 13 stripes. On Thursday 11 August 1831, Captain William Driver aboard the brig (ship) Charles Bogget, in a burst of patriotism, cried out “oh glory” when observing our nation’s flag. It stuck. In 2001, Vernona, N.J., and Oaks, Pa., were the principle U.S. flag makers.
In 1958, high school student Robert Heft in Lancaster, Ohio, designed a 50-star flag. His history project rated a “B” from his teacher and the design was accepted by Congress. Flag Day was created in Waubeka, Wisc., on Sunday 14 June 1885 by 19-year-old Bernard J. Cigrand, a teacher at the Stony Hill School. In 1912 the 66 official U.S. flag sizes, with exceptions, were reduced to three. They’re basically referred to by the Army names as storm, post, and garrison/holiday, their respective sizes in feet measuring 1x1.9, 5x9.5 and 10 x 19. Those displayed on military vehicles are also identified as standards, carried by troops as colors and aboard ships as ensigns. (The original ensign was a French Army rank responsible for guarding the French tricolor). The U.S. Army began using gold fringe on the national flag in 1835 and it became officials for the Army in 1895. The traditional thinking for folding the flag triangular is to commemorate the tricornered hats of our forefathers.
Memorial Day is honored by displaying the flag at half mast until noon, when a 21-gun salute is fired, or until 12:20 p.m. if no gun salute. Pennsylvania is the only state declaring Flag Day (14 June) a holiday.
Flag rules are in conflict stating only two flags may be hoisted above the U.S. flag on the same staff; the church pennant when conducting religious services at sea and the United Nations flag. The first U.S. flag so displayed was aboard the Navy destroyer USS Putnam DD-747 off Haifia, Israel, on Friday 23 July 1948.
The conflict with our Pledge of Allegiance is when it declares “one nation UNDER God” but here in Jay County and elsewhere, all churches display the U.S. flag OVER the church pennant. Technically, this is correct for a “shore station” but it violates the pledge.
Flag poles must be free standing with no guide wires. There are five basic ornaments, known as finials, that adorn U.S. flag pole tops: from lowest to highest in status the are flat truck (nail head shape) star, ball, halberd, and eagle. The rules for each in the military and naval service are quite extensive and rigidly followed. There are additional civilian guidelines but are rarely obeyed.
Aboard Navy ships while in port, the U.S. flag is displayed on a flag staff at the stern (rear), while a union jack (a blue field with 50 stars identical in size to the blue field in the U.S. flag) is hoisted on a jack staff at the extreme bow (front). Union jack is also the name of the British national flag. Since 22 May 2002, the blue Navy union jack has been replaced by a “Don’t Tread On Me” rattlesnake flag, first displayed in 1775. This will continue until the war on terrorism is won. While underway, the rattlesnake flag is removed and the U.S. flag transferred to a gaff from the ship’s mast.
Other U.S. Navy shipboard flag rules are of interest. A ship’s commissioning pennant is hoisted on a pigstick (that’s the official name). Although unofficial, woe be unto the signalman who does not have a Jolly Roger (a pirate flag with white skull and crossbones on black) in his inventory. This is hoisted on the port yardarm when crewmembers cross the equator the first time and must be initiated into the kingdom of Neptunus Rex. (On Tuesday 7 February 1800 the frigate Essex was the first U.S. Navy ship to cross the equator). Officially there are 68 different signal flags and pennants in a set (four sets are carried) for use in visual communication on sea-going ships. Although forty-six represent letters or numbers, all use color patterns. For reasons unknown to me, the “V” flag is identical to the Alabama state flag and the “C” flag is the same as the Costa Rican national flag. When the crew is at meals in port, the “E” flag is displayed, whose color pattern matches the Liechtenstein flag. Common sense diplomacy is a must; if Liechtenstein dignitaries are visiting during this time period and learn the true reason for displaying their “national flag,” they may get the impression the U.S. thinks their country is “out to lunch.” So it would not be hoisted. (It would cost us millions in foreign aid to smooth ruffled feathers).
Monaco and Indonesia national flags are identical. Turned upside down they become Polish flags. Kuwait and India citizens are forbidden to possess or display their national flags.
Amelia Island (home to Fernandina Beach), Fla., has the lone distinction of being under eight different flags: Spanish, French, English, Mexican, Confederate, two pirates and the U.S. On the opposite end, Idaho is the only state to never have a foreign flag dominate its land. Forty-five state and four commonwealths (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) have their own flags. Among this group of 49, Oregon’s flag is unique with different patterns on each side. Ohio stands alone by having a swallow-tailed pennant but no flag. The last official Confederate Flag was lowered aboard the Confederate States Ship Shenandoah on 6 November 1865 at Liverpool, England. Mississippi voted in 2001 to keep the Confederate pattern in their flag while Georgia voters decided in 2003 to eliminate it. The best known pattern of the Confederate Flag, which was recognized as the Symbol of the South, was actually the Confederate Navy jack and never meant for display ashore. (Will Hawaiians demand the British flag symbol be removed from theirs)? On Friday 19 September 1975, off the Turkish coast, a British Flag was hoisted aboard a U.S. Navy Ship, the USS Joseph Daniels CG-27. British Admiral J.H.F. Eberle used the Daniels as his flagship for a multi-nation exercise. This was the first raising of a British Flag on an American warsihp since 1812.
The origin for the music of our national anthem is not certain, but it’s first playing at a sporting event was in 1862 at a baseball game in Brooklyn on a field owned by William Commeyer. Beginning in 1908 the U.S. Marine band would stand while playing it and all citizens (well most) continue to follow their example. On Tuesday 3 March 1931 an Act of Congress made it the official anthem of the U.S. As for baseball and the anthem, the Atlanta Braves are really missing out when they don’t end the singing of it by adding an “S” to the last word: “the land of the free and the home of the Braves.”
There are many rules and regulations governing the display of our national flag, but very few laws. One law forbids the use of our flag in a trademark. As for flag protection, on Tuesday 22 December 1942, Public Law 829 of the 77th Congress was passed. Another protection law was approved on Wednesday 21 June 1989, then struck down on Monday 11 June 1990. Legally (or technically), this allows a military person in uniform on duty to shine his shoes with the U.S. flag. It’s just a matter of time until someone puts this to a test. (He/she is only exercising his/her “rights and freedoms”). It’s equally disturbing when many Jayland businesses and homes, through neglect, allow their U.S. flags to deteriorate into shredded strips of faded rags for all to see. And we take “pride” in our Jay County Patriots and nation?
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has stated the Senate will debate the Flag Protection Amendment before the July 4th recess. This amendment, sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch, will seek to overturn the 1990 ruling. Once all the steps are taken, 38 states must approve ratification within 10 years. A constitutional amendment for flag protection is a long shot at best. Over 9,100 amendments for all causes have been proposed since 1889: only 14 have been sent to the states for ratification of which 12 were actually approved.
There is another method, which to my knowledge has never been used, known as the Constitutional Convention which must be called by Congress if two thirds of the states request it. This may never happen as apparently too many states (and citizens) see it as rights infringement. Even without a flag protection amendment, Old Glory was never meant for a toilet paper supplement no matter how liberal you interpret our Constitution’s first amendment.
Roy L. Leverich
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
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