I know this may upset some people, and honestly, I’m okay with that. There are certain things I still believe deserve respect in this country. The American flag is one of them. The national anthem is another. And when that flag is raised and that anthem is played, I will stand.
Not because I believe America is perfect. Not because I agree with every president, politician, law, or decision our government has ever made. I don’t. I stand because I love this country, and because I respect the people who sacrificed for it.
My Pap was a veteran of the United States Army who served during World War II. He was part of a generation that didn’t just talk about freedom, they fought for it. They left their families, faced unimaginable dangers, and put their lives on the line for a country they believed was worth defending.
So, when I see someone kneeling during the national anthem or refusing to stand for the flag, I don’t see a powerful political statement. I see a symbol that has been turned into something I don’t want to support.
And here’s where I draw my line: I will NOT support entertainment that disrespects the flag or uses the national anthem as a stage for protest. I won’t spend my money on it. I won’t cheer for it. And I won’t pretend that I have to accept it simply because someone tells me it’s the “right” thing to do.
Everyone has the right to protest. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought to protect. You have the right to speak your mind, criticize the government, disagree with your neighbors, and make your voice heard. But having the right to do something doesn’t mean everyone else has to approve of it.
I believe that there is a time to protest, and there is a time to show respect. When the flag goes up, I stand. When the anthem plays, I stand. When I need to humble myself and ask for guidance, forgiveness, strength, or protection, I kneel- but I kneel to God.
Maybe that’s old-fashioned. Maybe some people will call me insensitive. Maybe others will say I’m putting a piece of cloth or a song above people. They’re entitled to their opinion.
I know what the flag means to me. It represents the country my Pap served and the freedoms he helped defend. It represents every veteran who never made it home and every family who waited and prayed for someone who did. I will never apologize for respecting that.
So here’s a piece of my mind… America doesn’t belong to one political party. The flag doesn’t belong to one race, religion, or ideology. It belongs to all of us. Call me old-fashioned. Call me stubborn. Call me patriotic. I’ll take all three. I will stand for the flag. I will respect the national anthem. And when I kneel, I will kneel to pray. That’s what I believe. And I’m not ashamed of it.
