I am now 69 years old and look back on many more years than I have going forward. Many of my earlier thoughts and opinions regarding America and my citizenship now seem to me incredibly naïve and uninformed. I have gained a new and ever-growing appreciation for the country that I was fortunate to grow up in. Having lived in two cultures, I can now see more clearly how absurd it was of me to imagine I could have been as happy anywhere else. I have traveled extensively and, with each trip abroad, I am happier than ever to come home to the good old U.S. of A. My readings have given me an appreciation of the genius of our founders in giving us a constitutional republic with a heritage of being the only nation in human history on an idea, allowing its citizens the liberty of thought, worship, and enterprise that has made us a uniquely favored. Even our poorest are rich in comparison to most of the rest of the world. People continue to stream here to live because of the promise of America.
My military experience gave me a real appreciation of the sacrifices made by those in our military services, sacrifices that continue to this day, in service of our country. I shudder to think of what the world would be like without America. What other country could hold back the forces of darkness and oppression that seem to forever rise up and threaten to put mankind into chains at the service of tyrants and autocrats?
I find that, today, I say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag out loud unapologetically, savoring every word. I listen to the Star Spangled Banner and think of all the places our flag has been and what it has meant to countless millions. I remove my hat, cover my heart, and sing the words. I commemorate the 4th of July and say a silent thank you to those men, some of them very young, who committed their lives and honor to a new nation, knowing full well that, if this unprecedented experiment in self-government failed, they would be among the first rounded up and executed.
From the beginning, our flag was there. I cannot see it flying anywhere without a momentary twinge of pride. We are imperfect, yes. We are a work in progress. Democracy is messy. Even so, we have come so far. And that flag is our symbol and a symbol to all seeking freedom.
Today I burned our flag. It was an old flag, faded and tattered. It had seen much better days. I flew it this 4th of July but was ashamed of how it looked. That wasn’t right. I knew that the best way, the most dignified and honorable way, to destroy it was to burn it. So, I did. I watched it burn until nothing was left but ash. I could not bring myself to throw it in the trash, so I buried it. Somehow, it still felt wrong.
Richard T. Bosshardt, MD, FACS