Show Can We Wave The Flag Too Much EDITORS EDITOR'S NOTE Reply of S. S L. L DeLove on the Know Your History Hour Dec 30 1956 to a Ii listener who wrote as follows Y Your 0 our u r programs are wonderful especially the no commercials commercials commercials commer commer- but you are waving the flag too m much ch The following has been reprinted annually in Inmany many national magazines newspapers newspapers newspapers news news- papers and radio st stations and is a part of the Congressional Congressional Congressional Con Con- gressional Record Dr De DeLove DeLove DeLove Love is the author of The Quiet Betrayal and presIdent president president pres pres- ident of Independence Hallof Hall Hallof Hallof of Chicago Is it possible to wave the flag too much Provided of course that you wave It with integrity Is it possible possible possible pos pos- sible to study Lincoln or Shakespeare too much Is IsIt Isit Isit it possible to read the Bible too muc The great the good the true are are inexhaustible inexhaustible inexhaustible inex inex- for inspiration example and strength I believe that we are not waving waving waving ing our flag enough not nearly enough IT SEEMS TO me that we are developing a tendency tendency tendency ten ten- dency to be timid or or r even apologetic about w waving a v I n g the stars and stripes Walk Walkup up and down the streets on July 4 and count the flags It Is our nations nation's birthday a sacred day in world history history history his his- tory the most important day of America Why isn't the flag flying on every rooftop and from every home and building This complacent attitude Is strong evidence of cancerous cancerous cancerous can can- cerous patriotic decay The flag Is a symbol of our na national national national na- na unity It is the spirit of our undying devotion to our country It stands for forthe forthe forthe the best that is in us for loyalty character and faith In democracy ISN'T OUR flag a synonym synonym synonym nym of the United States of America Does it not represent represent represent rep rep- resent mans man's greatest no noblest noblest noblest no- no blest m most 0 s t sub sublime 11 m e edream dream Is it not the zenith of achievement the goal to which generations have as aspired aspired aspired as- as Ladles Ladies and gentlemen I believe it Is time for us us for the mad rushing Twentieth Twentieth Century American to stop for a moment and think Let us arrest our near reverential admiration admiration admiration admira admira- tion of material success and return to the spiritual and ethical values LET US imbue and re rekindle rekindle rekindle re- re kindle In ourselves and our children the so-called so old- old fashioned way of patriotism patriotism patriot patriot- ism a burning devotion to the principles and ideals upon which our cou country n try was founded Should not every home ow own n and proudly display the colors on holidays and other such uch occasions Isn't the fI flag tUCh g Patrick H Hen Henry e n r y Jeffer Jefferson on Franklin Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington Nathan Hale Gettysburg Gettysburg Gettysburg Get Get- and Valley Forge Paul severe evere Jackson and other great men and women women women wom wom- en who have given us our heritage WHEN YOU look at the flag cant can't you see the Alamo Pearl Harbor The Monitor The Merrimac Wake Island and Korea Lest we forget forget forget for for- get isn't the flag nag Flanders Field Bataan Iwo Jima Normandy Babe Ruth and Davy Crockett The great events of our past an and d present are wrapped up in our flag It is a symbol of this blessed nation a giant in Industry education and and commerce Millions of offer offer- fer fertile tile square miles wheat- wheat lands coal mines steel plants Our great republic the chosen infant destined to be mans man's last and re rem remaining remaining re- re m hope for suffering humanity a shining beacon of light noble and glorious glori glori- ous the haven for the op oppressed oppressed oppressed op- op pressed and persecuted and truly Gods God's gift gUtto to mankind THAT THA T IS what the flag mean means mean to me Can we wave it tOOl much I dont don't think so |