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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For more than two centuries, the American flag has |
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symbolized the values, ideals, and spirit of our nation, and |
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Americans celebrate Flag Day each year to mark the anniversary of |
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the official adoption of the Stars and Stripes on June 14, 1777; and |
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WHEREAS, The idea for an annual day of celebration of the |
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American flag is believed to have originated in 1885, when a |
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Wisconsin public school teacher arranged for his students to |
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commemorate "Flag Birthday" on June 14; celebrations were held |
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throughout the late 19th century by the Betsy Ross House in |
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Philadelphia, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, |
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and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the |
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a |
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proclamation establishing Flag Day as a nationwide observance, |
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calling on Americans to consider it "a day upon which we should |
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direct our minds with a special desire of renewal to thoughts of the |
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ideals and principles of which we have sought to make our great |
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Government the embodiment"; with the observance growing in |
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popularity in communities around the country, President Harry |
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Truman signed an Act of Congress in 1949 officially designating |
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June 14 as National Flag Day; and |
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WHEREAS, Known fondly as the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, |
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and the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag originally bore 13 stars in a |
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circle, representing the original 13 states of the union, and the |
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number has expanded as the nation has grown; the blue field behind |
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the stars signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice; the |
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flag's 13 stripes reflect the number of colonies that joined |
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together to become an independent nation, with the white stripes |
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also symbolizing purity and innocence and the red stripes |
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symbolizing hardiness and valor; and |
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WHEREAS, The flag has been a source of strength and comfort to |
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American troops in wartime and was a particularly poignant symbol |
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for soldiers taking part in the D-Day invasion during World War II |
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and for American prisoners of war in Vietnam; one of the POWs, Mike |
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Christian, secretly sewed a flag to his clothing to inspire his |
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fellow prisoners, and he was undaunted by the savage beating he |
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received from his North Vietnamese captors in retaliation; and |
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WHEREAS, Citizens of totalitarian and communist countries |
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often wave the American flag as a symbol of liberty and freedom; |
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this was recently witnessed in Hong Kong, when protesters displayed |
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the stars and stripes as part of their resistance to communist |
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Chinese rule in the territory; and |
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WHEREAS, The patriotic display of the flag prompts many |
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Americans to sing along with the Lee Greenwood hit "God Bless the |
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U.S.A.," proclaiming "I thank my lucky stars - To be living here |
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today - 'Cause the flag still stands for freedom - And they can't |
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take that away"; moreover, country music icon Johnny Cash wrote his |
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song "Ragged Old Flag" to "reaffirm faith in the country and the |
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goodness of the American people," and the song is performed at |
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events around the nation, from ceremonies at West Point to local |
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Veterans Day and Independence Day observances; and |
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WHEREAS, The flag that once united our fledgling republic |
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continues to be a beacon of hope and freedom for people around the |
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world, and Flag Day serves as an occasion to celebrate the legacy of |
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Old Glory and to reflect on the national heritage for which it |
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stands; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate June 14, 2024, as Flag Day and |
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encourage all Texans to display and pay respect to the American |
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flag. |