[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 61 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4924-S4925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO KORTNEY SHERBINE

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today in tribute to one of 
our nation's fine young students, Ms. Kortney Sherbine of Cheraw, South 
Carolina. She has been named the South Carolina state winner in The 
Citizens Flag Alliance Essay Contest. Her essay, ``The American Flag 
Protection Amendment: A Right of the People . . . the Right Thing to 
Do'', is a thoughtful paean to our Nation's banner. I ask that it be 
printed in the Record.
  The essay follows:

The American Flag Protection Amendment: A Right of the People . . . The 
                           Right Thing to Do

                       (By Kortney Beth Sherbine)

       It is my profound and adamant belief that an American Flag-
     Protection Amendment must be enacted to unequivocally ensure 
     America's survival as a thriving, democratic nation. The 
     significance of our beloved flag is best immortalized through 
     America's heroic and valorous history. From the moment of our 
     country's inception, the flag has served as an inspiration 
     and motivation during times of exaltation as well as 
     tribulation. All Americans should be moved to tears as they 
     see Old Glory through Francis Scott Key's eyes as he peered 
     anxiously from a British prison ship during the War of 1812 
     (World Book, 238). As he drifted in the Baltimore Harbor, the 
     sole affirmation of America's surviving liberty waved highly 
     in air. As he witnessed the perseverance of our flag, he 
     realized our nation was destined for greatness.
       In addition, our flag's sacredness was poignantly displayed 
     at Libby's Prison where soldiers cut our banner in twenty-two 
     pieces saving it from desecration at the hands of the 
     Confederates (Krythe, 17). Subsequently, the American people 
     will never forget the powerful image of five marines and one 
     corpsman planting the Stars and Bars at Iwo Jima. These 
     aforementioned tributes to Old Glory should touch the very 
     core of our identity as American citizens. The planting of 
     the American flag throughout history has carved our role as 
     the great defender of democracy.
       For over two hundred years, the flag has been the most 
     honorable, tangible shrine to freedom the people of the world 
     have witnessed. It is a beacon of hope and light for the 
     oppressed and downtrodden. The American flag is as necessary 
     and integral a part of our patriotism as God and family. It 
     is a symbol of the turmoil our nation conquered to become a 
     superpower today.
       No action can be more disheartening and devastating to a 
     true American than seeing one of our own deface and desecrate 
     our most precious symbol of liberty. Throughout the span of 
     time, our fallen heroes have paid the ultimate debt for our 
     freedoms and rights. These great patriots sacrificed their 
     very

[[Page S4925]]

     lives for the values and unalienable privileges that Old 
     Glory emulates. How dare our countrymen have the vile 
     audacity to dishonor the memories of our veterans and our 
     hallowed history? Captain William Driver reflected the true 
     American spirit as he proclaimed, ``Thank God! I lived to 
     raise Old Glory . . . I am now ready to die and go to my 
     forefathers'' (Adams, 26).
       The media shows day after day how American citizens cling 
     to the philosophy of basic human rights in a democratic 
     society. We should hold the Stars and Stripes, the cloak of 
     our very freedom, dear to our hearts with an equal 
     conviction. Charles W. Stewart laced this concept with 
     eloquence as he reflected, ``The Stars and Stripes is our 
     sign of national sovereignty and unity. It is a symbol of the 
     Constitution as the cross is a symbol of Christianity'' 
     (Krythe, 26). We should value our flag's worth as we value 
     our very existence in this grand nation.
       In 1989, our Supreme Court, through Texas v. Johnson, 
     invalidated the flag-protection laws in 48 states and the 
     District of Columbia (CFA, 3). Currently, five national 
     surveys show that 80 percent of Americans support a flag-
     protection amendment (CFA, 1). A government should conform to 
     the wishes of the majority of its citizens. Our forefathers 
     were indeed wise as they anticipated the changing needs and 
     demands of future generations. They set forth two possible 
     routes for amendments. Firstly, two-thirds of the state 
     legislatures may call a convention for the proposing of 
     amendments. In addition, two-thirds of the Senate and House 
     can propose an amendment (Ritchie, 59). This wisely crafted 
     system of checks and balances has truly kept our country 
     operated by its citizens.
       Among many basic rights, the first amendment of our 
     Constitution prohibits the government from restricting 
     freedom of speech (Ritchie, 65). An American's right to speak 
     out for one's beliefs was born in the colonial era and has 
     remained a unique component of our nation thereafter. The 
     Supreme Court has grossly contorted the intention of this 
     freedom and has made a mockery of it for the world to scorn. 
     Freedoms must have limitations for humans to live in harmony. 
     If no boundaries are enforced, chaos will certainly ensue. 
     The ``clear and present'' danger system of limiting freedoms 
     should extend to desecrating the flag (Ritchie, 67). 
     Consequently, when 80% of Americans are extremely offended by 
     the defacing of our most treasured symbols, the possibility 
     for clear and present danger is imminent and inevitable.
       Vital steps do exist to allow the American people to have a 
     voice concerning the preserving of Old Glory. Laws should 
     reflect the feelings of the majority, not the whims of a 
     minority. A democracy is a government of action. Inaction 
     does not hold a place in our thriving nation. Many steps can 
     be taken by citizens to make positive changes in our 
     government. It is an American's right to contact members of 
     congress, contact the news media, write an editorial, talk 
     via radio, and circulate petitions and materials to show 
     support for his cause (CFA 1). Every true believer in the 
     United States of America should take these steps to save and 
     preserve our beloved flag.
       If we want our great, democratic nation to survive, then we 
     must save the banner of our triumphs and freedoms. If our 
     symbol of freedom is destroyed, then our nation will surely 
     follow. By losing respect for our American flag, we 
     ultimately sacrifice the right to refer to ourselves as ``The 
     land of the free and the home of the brave.'' In essence, we 
     would merely reduce ourselves to ``The land of the ungrateful 
     and the home of the misguided.'' Why worry about foreign 
     nations stealing our freedoms when we are perfectly willing 
     to sacrifice them free of charge? We must protect our Stars 
     and Bars as adamantly as we fight for our very rights to 
     life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
       A wise President, Calvin Coolidge, summarized the necessity 
     of our respect for the flag as he urged, ``It will be futile 
     merely to show outward respect of our National Emblem if we 
     do not cherish in our hearts, an unquenchable love for, and 
     devotion to, the unseen which it represents'' (Adams, 30) 
     Seeing our flag flutter majestically in the air should move 
     every American to tears. We should be inspired to be 
     profoundly grateful for the great human sacrifices that have 
     provided us with a rare nation; a nation where all citizens, 
     regardless of race, sex, religion, or wealth have the right 
     to pursue their dreams and reach for the ``stars''.


                              bibliography

       Adams, John W. Stars and Stripes Forever. Greenwhich, CT: 
     Brompton Books Corp, 1992.
       Citizen's Flag Alliance. http://www.cfa-inc.org/about.htm. 
     Internet Web Site. February 15, 1998.
       ``Francis Scott Key.'' World Book. 1987 ed.
       Krythe, Maymie R. What So Proudly We Hail. New York: Harper 
     and Row, 1968.
       Ritchie, Donald A. The U.S. Constitution. New York: Chelsea 
     House Publishers, 1989.

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