when i was student at linden elementary school, in pittsburgh pa, miss marie cyphers, was the music teacher. (in the 50's and early 60's, somehow the arts, p.e., were considered viable and important enough to incorporate them into the daily curriculums of public schools). miss cyphers was the individual responsible for the patriotic inspiration and she taught all students of linden school to sing songs about the american flag. and every flag day on the front lawn of linden elementary school the kindergarten to eighth classes would participate in a demonstration of americana and we would proudly wave our flags an sing our hearts out praising the beauty of the red white and blue.
i still, when asked, can sing the lyrics of two or three "flag day", songs. and for me they used bring back memories of an innocent time, of a time when i was told that america was created to fight communism, that love america or leave it, that america was fair, and honest, and that we were a place of true democracy and we played fair and honest, and our politicians were elected by the people for the people. where almost everything was in black or white except for the flag.
i still when asked can sing the songs learned for flag, by miss cyphers, but this time the memories are not as bright as the red white and blue glistening from the flag as it waves majestically in the wind.
i now see a country that for the past 8 years was lied to, told to be afraid, even told who the enemy was we were to fear. i see a country, that had its supreme court elect a president, not the voters. i see a country that allowed the rich to get so rich that no one wanted to place any restrictions or limits on how they made their money, but insisted gluttony, greed and gimme was an american right. i see a country that disguises its bigotry by saying that we do what we do for the kids, for a healthy family for religious purposes. i see a government run by partisan forces so hurtful that almost each and every politician elected refuses to look to the middle for solution, but prefers to look at how they might get re-elected by going to extremes.
when i now hear people sing songs about the flag, i hear them sing songs about "their" flag. how we are different than you. how my flag is not the same as your flag because you are liberal, or conservative, or gay, or don't believe in the correct jesus, the one who is on the mantel of my church, or worse you don't believe in jesus at all.
as i remember the flag is still the same colors, red white and blue as when it was created a long time ago. the only change about the flag are the amount of stars.
i flew the flag for flag day and had a bunch of friends over for a picnic and wondered how many people really felt great about being an american how many people felt they were a part of a country which seems to grow further a part with the have and the have nots, which seems to grow further away from equality for all, but more towards equality for people just like us.
i flew the flag and sang my favorite song, "many flags", some of the lyrics go, :...there are many flags of many lands, there are flags of every hue, but there is no flag however grand as our own red white and blue..."
i believe that, but it becomes harder and harder to do so.
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