Old Glory has reason to be proud and to be angry

Posted 9/19/01

Old Glory has reason to be proud and to be angry

Monday under heavy, gray skies, the American Flag at half mast hung quietly, limply and sadly in our Town Squares, in mourning for the country it represents.
Sadly because over 5,000 of its citizens are either dead or missing. Sadly because thousands of families are in mourning over those who died for just being on American planes and in American buildings. Sadly because its country is scarred maybe forever. Sadly, because the freedoms it represents may have to be curtailed.
Old Glory has reason to be proud. Proud of the men and women on the one hijacked plane who must have overcome terrorists and diverted it from its evil purpose. Proud of President George W. Bush and his cabinet and advisers who are comforting the sorrowful and confronting the terrorists. Proud of the hundreds of firemen and policemen in New York and Washington, D. C. who led people to safety and gave their lives for them. Proud of the volunteers who are digging through the rubble hoping to find one more live survivor. Proud of the volunteers who are donating blood, who are giving money. Proud of those who are filling the churches and praying for the country, the world and fellow Americans.
Old Glory has reason to be angry. Anger over the terrorism that killed so many innocent people. Anger at those who dared to hijack four airliners and crash them into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Anger at the lax intelligence and failure of our country to respond to the concerns about increasing terrorism. Anger at the countryís failure to act more decisively when the USS Cole was terrorized. Anger at those countries who harbor terrorists, never thinking that some day they would terrorize.
Someone asked: When should we raise Old Glory back to its rightful place at the top of the flagpole and let it fly majestically again?
When we all resolve to protect the freedoms for which many fought in so many battlefields.
When we all treat all Americans equally with dignity and respect.
When we all back a policy that roots out the terrorists and brings them to justice, without bombing other peopleís symbols just to get revenge and superiority.
When we all quit ridiculing our leaders and pray that they will make the correct decision to preserve our Democracy.
When we all do our part to rid any terrorism and violence in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our communities and in our society.
When we volunteer in our society to make all institutions effective.
When we once again become active in political parties and take an interest in the very fundamental process that protects our freedoms and our liberties.
When in our own way we pray that somehow, violence and torment in peopleís lives in every country will be rooted out and replaced by a spirit of love, generosity, understanding and justice.
When in memory of the missing and the deceased of one of the most brutal acts in our history we do all we can to make sure such a dastardly deed never is repeated.
Then we will be able to raise Old Glory to its rightful place in our communities and proclaim the slogan on our coins: ìIn God We Trust.î ñ Don Heinzman