Raise your property value, display our national flag

Today is flag day in America, and I was reminded of a song by the late, great Johnny Cash. My father has an extensive collection of vintage country, blue grass and rock-a billy vinyl records. Being a "fly boy" United States Air Force veteran, this song would be played on Memorial Day and Forth of July celebrations hosted by my family.

This week I was also reminded of our national colors when a member of our community decorated their home and yard in celebration to a fallen hero, their son. A life size portrait of Mark and at least 100 flags decorated the property. A huge sign on the tree lawn invited any and all to stop and pay tribute this young man. Marine Sgt. Mark Smykowski will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday.

I walked through a county courthouse square

On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.

I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,

He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".

I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,

And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".

He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,

"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"

I said, "I think it is"

He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of

That Ragged Old Flag"

You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,

When Washington took it across the Delaware.

And It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it, writing

"Say Can You See"

It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson tugging at its seams.

And It almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag,

But she waved on though.

She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,

And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.

There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,

And the south wind blew hard on

That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,

She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,

She turned blood red in World War II

She hung limp, and low, a time or two,

She was in Korea, Vietnam,

She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.S

he waved from our ships upon the briny foam and now they've about quit wavin' back here at home in her own good land here

She's been abused,

She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,

And the government for which she stands

Has been scandalized throughout out the land.

And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,

But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.

Cause she's been through the fire before and I believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning

And we bring her down slow every night,

We don't let her touch the ground,

And we fold her up right.

On second thought I do like to brag

Cause I'm mighty proud of

That Ragged Old Flag"