God bless America
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America…
I’ll never forget the feeling I had seeing an American flag flying at O’Hare Airport when we landed. I was coming home from two years in a country ruled by a despot. By mandate, a portrait of President Mugabe hung prominently in every Zimbabwean business and we could tell time by listening for the regular propaganda jingle to sing over the radio. Elections were predictably tense and laughably unfair. Near the end of my time there, without warning, the government began burning some people’s homes and businesses during Operation Murambatsvina (“Clean up the trash”).
When I saw that flag in Chicago, my heart rose up. I was free! If it wasn’t O’Hare Airport, I could have kissed the ground.
…and to the Republic for which it stands…
Somehow, that flag has been stolen away from us. Some desecrate the flag. Some mock it. Some refuse to respect it. Some modify it to suit their cause. And most bizarrely, flying the flag can make you a target of vandalism or derision.
How did we get to a place where you can guess someone’s political ideology if they have a flag? The flag stands for our Republic. Our Republic. Yours and mine.
Old Glory isn’t the flag of extremists. It’s not the flag of Trump or Biden, the Republicans or the Democrats, or police or politicians. It’s the flag of the United States of America.
I plead for you to set aside your cause, whatever it is. Set aside your custom flag, whether red-striped, blue-striped, rainbow, black, purple or otherwise. Lift up the Stars and Stripes. Stand for our common cause. You can get back to your cause later, but we first need to stand together, committed to our country, our Constitution, our peaceful form of government, and to each other.
…one Nation, under God…
The United States of America isn’t the only good country in the world. I’m not interested in determining the “best” country or debating the relative greatness of one over another.
But I do believe that the founding of our country was inspired by God. And more than that, I believe He will bless us if we seek His will. From the frosty North of Canada to the penguin-inhabited Tierra del Fuego, He has promised that if we keep His commandments, that He will help us prosper here. At this time, perhaps some of the most important commandments to keep are:
- Love thy neighbor as thyself
- Love your enemies
- Bless them that curse you
- Do good to them that hate you
- Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Whether you like your leaders or not, pray for them.
Stop yelling at each other. Stop mocking each other. Pursue your cause if you must, but be dignified and peaceful. And never pursue it at the expense of our common cause.
Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.
- Thomas S. Monson
…indivisible…
Have you ever seen two siblings fight? The back and forth escalation of aggression and blame-seeking? The desire for equal pain to be inflicted? It doesn’t end well for either kid. Sometimes, it’s better to let bygones be bygones, say you’re sorry and begin anew from where you are.
Our country’s unity isn’t guaranteed. We can only be indivisible if we choose that path. Choose to ignore some faults in others. Choose to forgive.
My high school history teacher put it this way:
…if we can’t agree on how we are going to resolve our differences then all we have left are our differences, and they will devour us.
- David Carpenter
…with liberty and justice for all.
It’s clear from this past year that some don’t feel like they have liberty or justice. Anger and violence this summer from racial injustice and police brutality. Anger and violence last week from those who feel cheated by the election. I’m not saying they’re equal (again, I have no interest in ranking this), but they both happened.
We celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. in a few days. What an example of how to work for liberty and justice for all! He came singing hymns! In his speech he didn’t pull punches. But in the streets, he did pull punches. He didn’t come to tear down people, but to inspire others to tear down problems.
Did he achieve everything? No. Did he achieve a lot? Yes.
Let’s take back our flag.
It’s time to hoist it up together. To let it stand for freedom. To let it unite us in our common cause. Let it stand for our commitment as true patriots to imperfectly strive toward a more perfect union, together.
I, personally, pledge my allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, including you. Who’s with me?
God bless America. 🇺🇸
