Divided We Stand

Call me biased but having served in our nation's military I find nothing more inspirational nor that which produces a genuine sense of love for God and country than watching Old Glory unfurled and flying free behind the backdrop of clear blue sky. 

Tomorrow is September 11, fifteen years since that fateful morning when blue skies turned black and when a nation collectively mourned the loss of several of her fellow Americans. 

A nation that was brought together, even for a brief moment, in solidarity in spite of the horrific acts that unfolded that day.

Nevertheless, as I watch as our banner yet still waves o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave I pray that those in this democracy, who under the guise of freedom, choose to burn, browbeat, and even belittle our National Colors, would stop to think for a moment how their words and their actions are not just against a piece a fabric stitched together by thread or against a centuries-old song played repeatedly at sporting events but more so what these things symbolize. 

Our flag, my flag, as well as our Nation's Anthem to me embodies not just the sacrifices made by those who upheld an oath and who in the figurative sense wrote a blank check with their lives in defense of our country and its freedoms, but also represents each and every one of us who calls ourselves an American citizen. 

And just so we are clear we do not have the right to burn her, step on her, mistreat her in any fashion nor disrespect our fellow Americans, past and present, in the process by sitting down or taking a knee in "protest" over matters in our communities where passionate men and women are most needed and who can effectuate real change. 

Haven't we done enough sitting around? And by now, haven't some of us done just about enough kneeling? 

As a nation, we will never become as "great" as we wish to be unless we first become grateful for what we have, namely each other. 

That great American, man of God, and true activist for civil rights, the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once proclaimed to a divided nation decades ago a truth that which still rings loudly to this very day: 

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." 

Before we succumb to the latter I pray that we will focus more intently on what it means to live out the former. 

Otherwise as surely as a house is divided is as certain a nation will no longer stand.

Run to win,
Den