Flag Day - A Flag Worth Respecting
| Category: | Holidays |
|---|---|
| Props: | A U.S. flag, properly displayed or held by the color guard (optional) |
| Notes: | For the meeting nearest June 14. Pairs well with a flag ceremony, or a lesson on folding and displaying the flag. See the Ceremonies section for flag ceremony scripts and flag etiquette. |
Every year on June 14, the United States celebrates Flag Day. It isn't a day off from school, and there are no fireworks, so a lot of people don't even notice it. But Scouts should.
On June 14, 1777, in the middle of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress decided what the new country's flag would look like: thirteen stripes, red and white, and thirteen white stars on a blue field. One star and one stripe for each of the original colonies. Today there are fifty stars, one for every state, but the thirteen stripes are still there to remember where it all started.
Scouts treat the flag with a lot of care. We never let it touch the ground. We fold it a special way. We raise it briskly and lower it slowly. We retire it with dignity when it gets worn out. Some people think that's a lot of fuss over a piece of cloth.
But the flag isn't really about the cloth. It stands for the people who built this country, the people who served and sacrificed for it, and the promise that everyone here gets a say in how it's run. When we take care of the flag, we're showing respect for all of that.
So this Flag Day, when you see a flag flying, take a second to notice it. And the next time you're on the color guard, remember that what you're carrying is a lot more than fabric.