Happy Fourth of July, America!

As our country celebrates its second fourth of July since the horrific events
of September 11, 2001, I find it comforting to think about the traditions
and symbols that make America the great country that it is
and to recall inspiring words of some of our greatest leaders.

George Washington said of the flag’s symbolism,
"We take the stars from Heaven,
the red from our mother country,
separating it by white stripes,
thus showing that we have separated from her,
and the white stripes shall go down to posterity
representing Liberty."

Red is for Victory,
White is for Purity,
Blue is for Loyalty

In 1787, the newly formed United States adopted as its emblem
a bald Eagle with wings that are outspread. The Eagle is shown
with a shield on its breast, an olive branch in one foot,
and a sheaf of arrows in the other foot. When the Eagle is
placed on the American coat-of-arms it carries a scroll in its
beak bearing the Latin words E Pluribus Unum,
meaning "out of many, one."

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

"I pledge 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."

History of the Pledge of Allegiance
The original Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy.
School children first recited the Pledge of Allegiance this way:
"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it
stands one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."

"The flag of the United States" replaced the words "my Flag" in 1923
because some foreign-born people might have in mind the flag of the
country of their birth instead of the United States flag.
A year later, "of America" was added after "United States."

The official name of The Pledge of Allegiance was adopted in 1945.

The last change in language came on Flag Day 1954, when Congress
passed a law, which added the words "under God" after "one nation."

One Nation

under God

June 27,2002 The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rules that the Pledge of Allegiance
is unconstitutional due to its reference to God and should be bannedin public schools.
The federal appeals court judge who outraged the nation with this ruling stayed his own
order on June 28, blocking a ruling that was criticized and ridiculed across the country.

The Flag Code specifies that any future changes to the pledge would
have to be with the consent of the President

STATUE OF LIBERTY

The large copper statue that stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor
is a rememberance of our Nations freedom
France gave the statue to America in 1884 as a symbol of friendship
and of the liberty that citizens enjoy under a free form of government.
The statues proper name is Liberty Enlightening the World.
The statue represents a proud woman, dressed in a loose robe that falls
in graceful folds to the top of the pedestal on which the statue stands.
The right arm holds a great torch raised high in the air. The left arm
grasps a tablet bearing the date of the Declaration of Independence.
A crown with huge spikes, like sun rays, rest on her head. At her feet
is a broken shackle, which symbolizes the overthrow of tyranny.

Statue Inscription

The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
with conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
a mighty woman with a torch
whose flame is imprisoned lightning,
and her name Mother of Exiles.

From her beacon-hand glows
world-wide welcome;
her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor
that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands your storied pomp!"
cries she with silent lips.

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
~Emma Lazarus ~
(1849-1887)

THE LIBERTY BELL

The Liberty Bell is located at the Liberty Bell Pavilion on Market Street between
5th and 6th Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was cast in London and was made of
70% copper, 25% tin, and small amounts of lead, zinc, arsenic, gold and silver.
Written on the bell are the words,
"Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof".
The Liberty Bell cracked the first time it was rung. It was repaired in 1846,
and cracked again. The bell has not been rung since.
The Liberty Bell represents America's freedom.

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