I love coming out of the house on a fresh morning and putting up the flag, which is what I did yesterday, July 4, 2009. Flag flying is certainly a patriotic gesture; however, I wouldn’t say that in every home with a flag there lives a patriot and that includes on the 4th of July. I’ve seen flags on homes where the flag is up every day. Some times there is also a second flag, one around the corner from us has the US Marines. I’m pretty sure that he is truly patriotic.
Yesterday there were flags on many houses all over. Flags I’ve never seen on houses before, flags that weren’t there on Memorial Day in May or Veterans Day last November or two months prior on September 11th. In the back yards of some of those houses yesterday were BBQ grills with hot dogs and hamburgers. But I really don’t know if all of those gestures were patriotic or if they were only celebratory, having a good time because it is a holiday. I don’t even know if they were commemorative or reflective. The thing I’ve thought about is all of those flags and how they weren’t there on Memorial Day intermingled with the same smell of BBQ. I wonder if these are truly patriotic people. I wonder if they would consider themselves patriotic.
In a neighborhood not far from us there is a street with many flags, three of them have lighted flags and pictures of soldiers. Although I’m not sure, I hazard to guess that these three neighbors have sons serving our country. I’m pretty sure they are truly patriotic.
For an immigrant to become a citizen of the United States they must pass a written exam. Most naturally born Americans would not pass this exam. One question that immigrants study is: Name the three branches of government. My fear is that the All-American answer to this question asked of a stadium full of people about to watch America ’s All-American pass time would be "Huh?" From the more educated maybe a question, "What, the government has branches?" Perhaps two or three would get it right. Are you one of them?
Continuing on with the game, before it starts someone would inevitably get up and sing the National Anthem. The crowd would rise and some hands would go to the heart. BUT, I wonder how many in the crowd would wonder why the rest of the anthem isn’t ever sung at baseball games. I wonder if they would even know the name of the song, the name of the man who was inspired to write it, and the reason why he was so inspired. If the home team wins and there are fireworks afterward, I wonder, would people thik the fireworks were celebratory for the winning team or a patriotic gesture that is now watered down to just being fanfare? Would they ever draw the connection between the song at the beginning and the fireworks at the end?
I compare those that waive a flag once or twice a year and consider themselves patriotic to those who claim to be religious and close to God but only make it to a worship service once or twice a year and maybe pray when they’re about to get in a car accident. Wake up! Get of your lazy BBQd bottoms! Patriotism isn’t BBQ or baseball or apple pie. If you’ve made it through the 4th of July without thinking of the sacrifices that went into forming this great nation, then I invite you to ponder. Being American doesn’t make you patriotic, patriotism makes you American.
