Observer Online | Our Town Posted June 22, 2001 Red, White and True Blue Some years ago, after a particularly rainy, cold and windy night in Nebraska when an American flag had not been taken down over the Keene Library, a newspaper letter writer complained about the abuse city officials had levied upon the flag. In a follow-up letter, Conrad Schmitz, a Lutheran minister, wrote that the flag should fly through all kinds of weather. The American flag, he wrote, had flown high during worse weather and conditions than on that night. On the battle field and aboard ships the flag often was the guiding light, flying through bullets and torrents of rain and wind. It led soldiers into battle and gave them courage. It led soldiers home and gave them hope. It can stand up to a little rain and wind, he wrote. And so it can. It can not only stand up to the rain and wind, but also to the pop-culture status we Americans have given Old Glory. During this year's Herndon Festival a woman, stopping at The Observer booth, thought we should do a story on how the American flag was so terribly misused and mistreated. She said that she was upset that at the local Kohl's department store, the flag was printed on everything from napkins to underwear, from shopping bags to T-shirts. It is disrespectful to the flag, and to Americans, she told me, that the flag was used as decoration. Walking through the craft booths at the festival, I noticed old crates, rusted metal, and various other materials painted like the American flag. For $14.95 you could get a piece of American pop culture, American flag and all. I was sympathetic to this woman's complaints; after all, wasn't the flag meant for flying over buildings, held proudly by Boy and Girl Scouts, and flown high and straight in parades? Then I remembered the Rev. Schmitz's admonition that our flag has flown through many trials and tribulations and has been a beacon of hope no matter what a beating it took. June 14 was flag day, and I meant to write something about the flag at that time. I never got around to it, so I'm writing this column one week late. A news piece on television this week told how the Smithsonian Institution is spending millions of dollars protecting and strengthening the huge flag that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star Spangled Banner." The following is a short history of that flag, courtesy of The Smithsonian Institution: Guarding the entrance to Baltimore Harbor via the Patapsco River during the War of 1812, Fort McHenry faced almost certain attack by British forces. Major George Armistead, the stronghold's commander, was ready to defend the fort, but he wanted a flag that would identify his position, and one whose size would be visible to the enemy from a distance. With the help of her 13-year-old daughter, Caroline, Mary Young Pickersgill spent several weeks measuring, cutting, and sewing the 15 stars and stripes. Once completed, the flag was delivered, and Mrs. Pickersgill was paid $405.90. In August 1813, it was presented to Major Armistead, but, as things turned out, more than a year would pass before hostile forces threatened Baltimore. After capturing Washington, D.C., and burning some of its public buildings, the British headed for Baltimore. On the morning of September 13, 1814, British bomb ships began hurling high-trajectory shells toward Fort McHenry. Anxiously awaiting news of the battle's outcome was a Washington, D.C., lawyer named Francis Scott Key. Placing a telescope to his eye, Key trained it on the fort's flagpole. There he saw the large garrison flag catch the morning breeze. It had been raised as a gesture of defiance, replacing the wet storm flag that had flown through the night. Thrilled by the sight of the flag and the knowledge that the fort had not fallen, Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," the music of which is based on an English song. It is important to note that the Smithsonian is not "restoring" the huge flag, but instead is protecting it from further damage. The institution will keep the flag in its original condition as when it flew over the fort, with all of its holes, tatters, rips and stains. It will be back on display at the Museum of American History when the work is done. I can't help but marvel at how, because men and women have defended this flag of ours, we have the freedoms we do today, including making the flag into pop culture, including printing it on underwear and shopping bags. I think Old Glory can take the abuse. And that's Our Town this week. Copyright © 2001 The Herndon Publishing Company Back to top

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Posted June 22, 2001

Red, White and True Blue

Some years ago, after a particularly rainy, cold and windy night in Nebraska when an American flag had not been taken down over the Keene Library, a newspaper letter writer complained about the abuse city officials had levied upon the flag.

In a follow-up letter, Conrad Schmitz, a Lutheran minister, wrote that the flag should fly through all kinds of weather.

The American flag, he wrote, had flown high during worse weather and conditions than on that night. On the battle field and aboard ships the flag often was the guiding light, flying through bullets and torrents of rain and wind. It led soldiers into battle and gave them courage. It led soldiers home and gave them hope.

It can stand up to a little rain and wind, he wrote.

And so it can. It can not only stand up to the rain and wind, but also to the pop-culture status we Americans have given Old Glory.

During this year's Herndon Festival a woman, stopping at The Observer booth, thought we should do a story on how the American flag was so terribly misused and mistreated. She said that she was upset that at the local Kohl's department store, the flag was printed on everything from napkins to underwear, from shopping bags to T-shirts.

It is disrespectful to the flag, and to Americans, she told me, that the flag was used as decoration. Walking through the craft booths at the festival, I noticed old crates, rusted metal, and various other materials painted like the American flag.

For $14.95 you could get a piece of American pop culture, American flag and all.

I was sympathetic to this woman's complaints; after all, wasn't the flag meant for flying over buildings, held proudly by Boy and Girl Scouts, and flown high and straight in parades?

Then I remembered the Rev. Schmitz's admonition that our flag has flown through many trials and tribulations and has been a beacon of hope no matter what a beating it took.

June 14 was flag day, and I meant to write something about the flag at that time. I never got around to it, so I'm writing this column one week late.

A news piece on television this week told how the Smithsonian Institution is spending millions of dollars protecting and strengthening the huge flag that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star Spangled Banner."

The following is a short history of that flag, courtesy of The Smithsonian Institution:

Guarding the entrance to Baltimore Harbor via the Patapsco River during the War of 1812, Fort McHenry faced almost certain attack by British forces. Major George Armistead, the stronghold's commander, was ready to defend the fort, but he wanted a flag that would identify his position, and one whose size would be visible to the enemy from a distance.

With the help of her 13-year-old daughter, Caroline, Mary Young Pickersgill spent several weeks measuring, cutting, and sewing the 15 stars and stripes.

Once completed, the flag was delivered, and Mrs. Pickersgill was paid $405.90. In August 1813, it was presented to Major Armistead, but, as things turned out, more than a year would pass before hostile forces threatened Baltimore.

After capturing Washington, D.C., and burning some of its public buildings, the British headed for Baltimore. On the morning of September 13, 1814, British bomb ships began hurling high-trajectory shells toward Fort McHenry.

Anxiously awaiting news of the battle's outcome was a Washington, D.C., lawyer named Francis Scott Key. Placing a telescope to his eye, Key trained it on the fort's flagpole. There he saw the large garrison flag catch the morning breeze. It had been raised as a gesture of defiance, replacing the wet storm flag that had flown through the night.

Thrilled by the sight of the flag and the knowledge that the fort had not fallen, Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," the music of which is based on an English song.

It is important to note that the Smithsonian is not "restoring" the huge flag, but instead is protecting it from further damage. The institution will keep the flag in its original condition as when it flew over the fort, with all of its holes, tatters, rips and stains.

It will be back on display at the Museum of American History when the work is done.

I can't help but marvel at how, because men and women have defended this flag of ours, we have the freedoms we do today, including making the flag into pop culture, including printing it on underwear and shopping bags.

I think Old Glory can take the abuse.

And that's Our Town this week.