“heroism is endurance for one moment more.”
-george f. kennan
thank you to all veterans, today, and every day
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holland, michigan, usa – summer, 2021
“yesterday I dared to struggle. today I dare to win.”
-bernadette devlin
i’m proud of my country – it dared to do both.
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today, as i walked downtown,
the kerrytown bells played ‘the star spangled banner’
cars honked
church bells rang
farmers at the market chattered
drummer drummed
people cheered, cried, laughed
fireworks shot off in yards
the air was light and it was electric.
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image credit: pinterest
The designer of our current 50-star flag was Robert Heft. It was 1958 and there was some talk that Alaska and Hawaii were going to officially become states 49 and 50. One of his high school teachers capitalized on the current events of the day and had his students design a new flag incorporating the two new states. Inspired by Betsy Ross, (and cutting up his parents’ flag), Heft did just that, arranging the stars so it wasn’t very evident that he had added any. His teacher gave him a B-, saying that the design was unoriginal. When Heft balked at the grade, his teacher told him that if he could get the flag adopted by Congress, he would bump the grade up to an A. Heft jumped at the opportunity, sent the flag to his congressman, and after a long campaign and a refusal to give up, he ended up getting the flag approved. Heft got his ‘A’ as promised. Since then, Heft’s original homemade flag has flown over every single state capitol building, over 88 U.S. embassies, and over the White House for five administrations. He is now deceased, but has left behind a design with 51 stars ready to go if the need arises.
happy 4th of july!
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credits: mental floss, quora, wiki, readers digest
President Richard M. Nixon honors John McCain at the State Department
after McCain was released by the North Vietnamese in 1973
after more than five years as a prisoner of war.
(U.S. Navy)
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RIP Senator John McCain
a maverick in the truest sense of the word
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“I’ve tried to serve our country honorably. I’ve made mistakes, but I hope my love for America will be weighed favorably against them. I’ve often observed that I am the luckiest person on Earth. I feel that way even now, as I prepare for the end of my life. I’ve loved my life, all of it. I’ve had experiences, adventures, friendships, enough for 10 satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life in good or bad times for the best day of anybody else’s.”
-John McCain – from a letter he left to be read upon his death
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“a hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” bob dylan
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image credit: washington post