How wonderful to be in a safe place … with family and friends today.

Today June 13, 2010, our Flag Day Celebration.

The red, white and blue, the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, our Standard, the Star Spangle Banner,  the American flag – It has heard the battle cry for freedom and has been the banner for democracy  it is our sacred symbol of the heart and soul of our country  our freedom.

It represents the fifty states and the blood of the men and women who died carrying it – if not on their bodies, in their hearts and souls as they fought for freedom of a nation  our nation.

Though tattered and worn, it continued to wave as 6,000 patriots died in the Revolutionary War breaking off the chains of tyranny from Great Britain .

It survived the Civil War and draped the caskets of many of the 500,000 total (some brother against brother) who fought and died defending freedom, though they disagreed on what that freedom meant  the flag continued to wave in its defense.

It soared at Gettysburg , unfurled at the Battle of the Bulge, was blood stained at Kasson, stood watch in the final hours at Pearl Harbor as hulls of ships and shells of men floated on the burning waters. It was hoisted by brave American soldiers at Iwo Jima .

Throughout history it was tested and tried on the beaches of Normandy and was triumphant on the shores of Tripoli .

It proudly but sadly waves today over a wall that bears only etched names in stone of more than 58,000 faces, hearts, souls and bodies of the fallen soldiers who died in the jungles of Vietnam.

It blew for righteousness’ sake mounted in the dirt of Desert Storm as 293 Americans’ bodies were killed but their love for country was not captured, conquered or defeated.

Most recently it saw1,672 Americans in Operation Iraqi Freedom die and it has covered the bodies of 190 killed in Enduring Freedom  yet the flag still endures.

And today it continues to wave over the 260,000 brave and courageous veterans whose silent, sleeping spirits remain in Arlington Cemetery and locally here at our own NAS Cemetery.

Many have spit on the flag, buried it and burned it, not realizing the freedom it represents is what allows them that right, though no matter how obnoxious and disrespectful it may be, it supposedly is their right.

But what a pity they know not how much innocent blood was shed so they could have that freedom to express the bitterness and hatred they appear to have for their own freedom and anything that it represents.

And on that day when our country was at its lowest level, our spirits had plummeted, we had been as wounded or worse than at any time in our great nation  in the very middle of the ordeal, three exhausted New York Fireman had the foresight, the vision and the inspiration which could only be fueled physically by adrenaline, but spiritually and emotionally by raw patriotism  love of God and country -  to hoist an American flag for all the world, friend and foe alike to see, so they would know we had not been defeated.  And today as well here in Escambia County, citizens cry for leadership during the 55^th day of this oil crisis.  And be not weary, for there is a power in the Spirit of the People on this Coast and I believe in every word you’ve said to me, “Gene, we’ll be back…We’ll be back.”  This is the true American Spirit this country was founded on, and lives by today.

So today, let’s remind ourselves that while our flag may have been burned, spit-on and buried, it has also flown with great pride and admiration over many historic sites in the World and on the Moon.  Some say it is not the flag, but what it represents that we should honor.  You Bet!  But I say, we cannot honor one without a pledge of allegiance to the other.

The Pledge of Allegiance nationally debuted in October 1892 on Columbus Day when 12 million children across America recited it for the first time.

The pledge of allegiance has had three major changes:

Originally it read: ‘I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’

June 14, 1923 , it was revised to ‘the flag’ instead of ‘my flag’ and the words ‘United States’ were added.

One year later it was revised to read ‘the flag, of the United States of America .’

But the most significant change came on Flag Day, June 14, 1954 , when President Dwight D. Eisenhower added these two simple, but profound words:  ‘Under God.’

The Pledge of Allegiance as we know it today is only 31 words packed with pride, honor, loyalty and devotion.

Red Skelton, a brilliant comedic mind of another generation shared this story on television many years ago.  Little did he know this story would be so poignant and prophetic today.  He shared the story of his teacher Mr. Laswell who came to think his class was just saying the pledge of allegiance out of routine so he made a drastic change in their schedule one day. This is what he said to them:

‘I’ve been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word.’

I – me, an individual, a committee of one.

Pledge – dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity,

Allegiance – my love and my devotion

To the flag – our standard, old glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there’s been respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom… is everybody’s job.

United – that means we all have come together.

States -  individual communities that have united into 48 great states. 48 individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet untied to a common purpose and that’s love for country.

And to the Republic – a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it’s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For which it stands, one nation – one nation meaning ‘so blessed by God.’

Indivisible – incapable of being divided.

With liberty – which is freedom-the right of power to live one’s life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation

And Justice – the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others

For all – which means boys, and girls, it’s as much your country as it is mine.

Skelton later said since he was a young boy that two states had been added to our country and that two words had been added to our pledge – -’Under God.’

Then he smiled and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be a pity if someone said that (those two words ‘Under God’) is a prayer and they would eliminate it from schools too?

Little did he know that now, many years later, that very effort has been discussed before the United States Supreme Court.

But the flag still waves and our nation is still one nation under God and we still live under the banner of democracy and the flag waves in our churches, school yards, state and national government buildings and always in our hearts and homes  because that’s where freedom originated and that is where it must remain.

When we pledge allegiance to our flag, we are making a commitment, and what we are committed to is what we become as individual people, and as a nation. The destinies of many nations have been determined by what their people were allegiant to   Rome is a good example of that.  Let us never become a Rome .

Our flag is more than three colors of cloth and millions of pieces of thread sown by hand.  It is more than Betsy Ross and Francis Scott Key.  It represents a message of hope and freedom that is carried in the hearts and souls of the people of a nation for generations.

I pray today that God will continue to bless this country and that we may never divorce ourselves to the preservation of that freedom for which our men and women have died and our flag still boldly stands.

This Elk Brotherhood is  a not-for- profit organization but, it’s a misnomer.  Is in not profitable to enhance an environment conducive to good moral order and, is it not profitable to promote a spirit of mutual cooperation and understanding in all social and civic life?   Is there no value in promoting Elkdom customs, values and traditions to the community at large, through their many activities?   And is it not profitable for our community when the Elks undertake projects and enterprises intended to improve the economic, social and cultural well being of all the members. Is that not profitable???   And who’s talking about money?   We’re talking about Principles … NOT Personalities:

Might it be true that our Forefathers had it precisely correct that:  We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — These are the principles we live by.

At Elk Board and membership meetings you discuss, negotiate, and debate how you will spend your time, money and assets in this community.  Why do you do it?   As your elected leader, we do it too. Why do WE do it? ….

Not only is it stated in the Preamble to our Declaration of Independence, which we are going to celebrate in a few days on July 4^th,…. Might it be that we believe there’s a greater purpose for all of us in life??? … both now and soon after?   Might it be that we MUST look beyond petty politics and admonish bad behavior and do what we truly believe is for the greater good?

YOU BET.   ONE NATION UNDER GOD…. With Liberty and Justice for ALL…. So when some one says, “Are you a LOCAL” ?   You say, YOU BET !    I’m not a Pensacolian, I’m not from Escambia County, I’m not a Floridian,  I’m an American Citizen….from ONE NATION UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL !!!!!

And that’s why Maureen & I care so much for the Elks. You care for this  Community…. YOU’RE COMMITTED, YOU CARE … AND IT SHOWS. And your actions speak louder than your words.

It was John F. Kennedy that said, “Ask not what your County can do for you.  Ask what you can do for your country”.

But, it was his more quite, younger brother Robert F. Kennedy that said; there are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not? WHICH ONE ARE YOU????

(Orville & Wilber Wright Story)

Why not fly like a bird some day?   Why not put a man on the moon?  Why not a better home?  Why not a better car?  Why not a better Pensacola and Escambia County?  Why not a better nation?  WHY NOT?    Why not a new economic development plan for all of us in this community electrified by your energy, your nerve, your commitment … that same commitment that channels you to the results that makes us a better community, a better nation, for us all?

In our pursuit for this better way of life for ourselves and our children….Here’s the real question; Are you willing to take the chance and fail?   It’s painful to try to change.  But it’s TRUE LEADERSHIOP. Is not change necessary if we are to improve that which we complain about?  Failure to defend the rights of the person next to you, may some day result in your rights not being defended.  Do we turn our backs on all those that suffered and died for this FLAG, and this wonderful nation??  Dare we forget what they did to protect this gift called “Democracy”.   I THINK NOT…

Robert Kennedy also said,  “only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly…and he went on to say, “Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the essential and vital quality of those who seek to change a world,  which yields most painfully to change. So, look to the leader in government you respect who will tell you what you need to know….NOT the politician who will tell you what you want to hear.   Are you willing to accept the things you cannot change, and are you willing to help your leader change the things he / we can?   Are you willing?

Our oil crisis which we see before us now does nothing more than cement our resolve, affirm our faith.  Our shield is Old Glory, THE FLAG… where we get our strength to survive from this crisis too as …one Nation Under God.

I took pause when I came in to see you today when I saw our Flag.  I will take pause when I leave.  Will you join me?  Will you do the same?

So… Let us stand and Pledge Our Allegiance again to our Flag, like we never did before.