Show your colors and fly your flag!

By Gordon Garnos

THE ISSUE: Remembering Independence Day, John Adams said it best: "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as to the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore."

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE will observe this Friday the 233rd annual celebration of Independence Day. Most Americans realize that the Fourth of July each year is "the great anniversary festival."

Unfortunately, many others look at the day as just another holiday where nothing has to be done, nothing has to be said and nothing has to be observed.

However, it was on that day in 1776 that our nation's founding fathers declared the Fourth of July as the birthday of this great nation of ours. It was on that day on which the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress.

The other signers of the declaration of freedom didn't know what they would create. But Adams knew that every July 4th would be a special day.

A LOT HAS HAPPENED to this great nation since that first Independence Day. Today we can celebrate the Fourth because our government is of the people, although we wonder sometimes. We have separation of powers. Our juries are made up of the people. Peace and tranquility today, although there are times we wonder, are intangible factors of that first observance.

When we were growing up, our parents put up the American flag on the Fourth of July and many of the people we looked up to flew the flag every day. When we went to a parade, the flag held a place of honor. When it passed we rose to our feet and paid the proper respect. Tragically, there are some today who don't know, or don't care when that great standard of our nation passes in review.

Those and other patriotic traditions are as important to us today as they have ever been. That is why I am urging all of my readers to "Show your colors." Every home, every business should be flying our flag today and through this weekend and especially on the Fourth.

YOU DON'T HAVE an American flag! Nearly every store has them for sale, or should have. and then think what a tremendous show of patriotism if they were all sold out by next Monday and you helped cause that sell-out. Several years ago a campaign was started in our neighborhood, along our street, to have an American flag waving on every utility pole on every national observance, including the Fourth of July. Not everyone participated. Sadly, that participation has since diminished as it seems the patriotism has in recent years. But it was a wonderful tradition for a few years. Try it in your neighborhood. You will be surprised at the result.

Speaking of our flag, I began to wonder what ever happened to the proposed American Flag Protection Act. First, it was introduced as a possible amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That was shot down with a proposed law and that, too, failed to get Senate approval. While the House seemed to support the proposal it fell to just a resolution, which means it wouldn't have the teeth in it as would an amendment or a law.

In visiting with a state American Legion official I discovered the resolution failed again last year and had little or no chance to go anywhere this year with our Congress. South Dakota's two senators and one representative supported the resolution. However, too many others said "No." In my book that is still another tragedy thrust on us, the people who elected them.

Senator Mitch McConnell's proposed three acts of flag desecration were not quite strong enough: 1, Fines up to $100,000, a jail term of up to one year or both for damaging or destroying a flag with the clear intent of inciting or producing violence or breach of the peace. 2, Fines of up to $250,000, a jail term of up to two years or both for stealing a flag belonging to the United States and destroying or damaging it. And 3, fines of up to $250,000, a jail term of up to two years or both for stealing a flag belonging to the U.S. government and destroying or damaging it on federal property.

AS FAR AS I AM concerned, the Kentucky Republican should have put "hangman's noose" in there some place for destroying or damaging our nation's banner. Have a safe and sane Fourth and be proud when you fly your flag....


Gordon Garnos was long-time editor of the Watertown Public Opinion and recently retired after 39 years with that newspaper. Garnos, a lifelong resident of South Dakota except for his military service in the U.S. Air Force, was born and raised in Presho.