As this special birthday month for America winds down, I submit a letter
I wrote to the Gloucester County Times (The South Jersey Times) which
was published in the Reader's View on Tuesday August 12, 2008.
This past Friday night marked the 25th anniversary of the National Night Out,
an event celebrated across America. Organized by local police departments, this event
is designed to foster community spirit and heighten crime awareness and prevention.
As I walked with my children from table to table, picking up free literature and
coloring books covering such diverse subjects as fire safety and hunter education,
I was glad to see the large crowd gathering, mostly parents with children like myself.
The children were excited about the fire trucks and police helicopters
and the much-anticipated fireworks.
The opening of our National Night Out began with the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Above the parking lot of the local high school, Old Glory presided over the ceremony.
Her beautiful stars and red and white stripes rippled gently in the cool evening breeze
against a backdrop of clear blue sky. I thought of how blessed I am to be an American.
I also noticed that no one seemed to have a problem placing their hand over their
heart and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. It makes me wonder about those living
among us in this country who are embarrassed by our flag and refuse to salute it.
Why do they continue to live here if they are ashamed to be Americans?
It is my guess that the freedom we all take for granted is too lucrative a deal
to pass up, even for the most hardcore left-wing dissenters among us.
Americans who have a problem saluting our flag are often in the same boat with
those who don't want English to be the official language of the United States.
I don't have a problem with learning new languages. I think learning Spanish,
or Italian, or German would be fun and educational. If you moved to Spain,
or Italy or Germany, you would undoubtedly have to learn their languages
in order to live among the natives.
People immigrating to the United States should learn to speak English, not only to
assimilate into our culture, much like our great-grandparents and grandparents did,
but also because it is our official language. In other words, if you love America
and want to live here, speak English!
Furthermore, if you love America and want to live here, learn the Pledge of Allegiance
and salute our flag. To do anything less is a slap in the face to the brave men and women
in our Armed Forces, both past and present, who answered their country's call of duty
and have often made the ultimate sacrifice in order to give us the freedom we all enjoy.
