THE OLD GLORY

LOOK UP!-AND SEE ME! I STAND FOR PEACE-HONOR-TRUTH-JUSTICE, I STAND FOR FREEDOM.

WHEN I AM FLOWN WITH MY FELLOW BANNERS, MY HEAD IS HELD A LITTLE HIGHER,-MY COLORS A LITTLE TRUER...I BOW TO NO ONE!

I AM RECOGNIZED ALL OVER THE WORLD. I AM WORSHIPED-I AM SALUTED-I AM RESPECTED, I AM REVERED-I AM LOVED, AND I AM FEARED!

I HAVE FOUGHT IN EVERY BATTLE IN EVERY WAR, FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS: GETTYSBURG, SHILOH, APPOMATAX, SAN JUAN HILL, THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE, THE ARGONNE FORREST, ANZIO, ROME, THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY, THE JUNGLES OF GUAM, OKINAWA, TARAWA, KOREA, VIETNAM, IN THE HEAT OF THE PERSIAN GULF, AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ, AND SCORES OF PLACES, LONG FORGOTTEN BY ALL, BUT THOSE WHO WHERE THERE WITH ME,...I WAS THERE.

I WAS ON A SMALL HILL ON IWO JIMA, I WAS DIRTY BATTLE WORN AND TIRED,...BUT MY SAILORS AND MARINES CHEERED ME, AND I WAS PROUD!

I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED OF THE STREETS OF COUNTRIES THAT I HAVE HELPED SET FREE.

I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED ON THE STREETS OF MY OWN COUNTRY, AND WHEN IT IS DONE BY THOSE WHOM I HAVE SERVED IN BATTLE WITH,...IT HURTS. BUT I SHALL OVERCOME...FOR I AM STRONG!

I HAVE SLIPPED THE SURLY BONDS OF EARTH AND FROM MY VANTAGE POINT ON THE MOON, I STAND WATCH OVER THE UNCHARTED NEW FRONTIERS OF SPACE.

I HAVE FLOWN OVER THE TOP OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND PENTAGON, AND AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, I HAVE FLOWN OVER ITS RUBBLE TO REMIND THE EVIL IN OUR WORLD THAT MY SPIRIT WILL NOT BE CRUSHED.

BUT MY FINEST HOUR COMES WHEN I AM TORN INTO STRIPS, TO BE USED AS BANDAGES FOR MY WOUNDED COMRADES ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE,...WHEN I FLY HALF MAST TO HONOR MY SAILORS AND MARINES,...AND...WHEN I LIE IN THE TREMBLING ARMS OF A GRIEVING MOTHER, AT THE GRAVE-SIDE OF HER FALLEN SON OR DAUGHTER,...I AM PROUD...MY NAME IS "OLD GLORY",...LONG MAY I WAVE.

How's this?

I am the flag, of the United States of America, my name is -"old glory".

I fly atop the world's tallest buildings,

I stand watch in America’s halls of justice.

I fly majestically over the great institutions of learning.

I stand guard with the greatest military power in the world.

Look up!-and see me! I stand for peace-honor-truth-justice, I stand for freedom.

I am confident-i am arrogant,-i am proud.

When I am flown with my fellow banners, my head is held a little higher,-my colors a little truer...i bow to no one!

I am recognized all over the world. I am worshiped-i am saluted-i am respected, I am revered-i am loved, and I am feared!

I have fought in every battle in every war, for more than 200 years: Gettysburg, Shiloh, Appomattox, san Juan hill, the trenches of France, the Argonne forest, anion, Rome, the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Guam, Okinawa, Tarawa, Korea, Vietnam, in the heat of the Persian gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq, and scores of places, long forgotten by all, but those who where there with me,...I was there.

I led my sailors and marines-I followed them,-I watch over them,-they love me.

I was on a small hill on Iwo Jima, I was dirty battle worn and tired,...but my sailors and marines cheered me, and I was proud!

I have been soiled, burned, torn and trampled of the streets of countries that I have helped set free.

It does not hurt,...for I am invincible.

I have been soiled, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of my own country, and when it is done by those whom I have served in battle with,...it hurts. But I shall overcome...for I am strong!

I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and from my vantage point on the moon, I stand watch over the uncharted new frontiers of space.

I have been a silent witness to all of America’s finest hours.

I have flown over the top of the world trade center and pentagon, and after September 11, 2001, I have flown over its rubble to remind the evil in our world that my spirit will not be crushed.

The American people will not be broken.

But my finest hour comes when I am torn into strips, to be used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the field of battle,...when I fly half mast to honor my sailors and marines,...and...when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving mother, at the grave-side of her fallen son or daughter,...I am proud...my name is "old glory",...long may I wave.

Thanks for that posting.

Caps or not, its great.

How many Americans know the entire version, its just as true today as back in the War of 1812:

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Let the rest of the world and the dim bulbs within throw all they want at the rest of us Americans. They have no clue what they are dealing with. They think we will not fight. Just look at the bravery of our men and women in uniform today. The enemy has no clue what it would be dealing with if it was stupid enough to come down mainstreet U.S.A. Of course that would never happen. They would be ripped to shreds. They must try to break our will with devices that kill many then slink back into darkness like the rat crap they are. Hatred of these bastard terrorists puts it mild. Gitmo is a resort compared to what a lot of Americans think should be done. God Bless our troops.

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