[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 105 (Wednesday, August 2, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8606-S8607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO ALABAMA STATE AUDITOR BETH CHAPMAN

 Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I recently had the opportunity to 
speak in favor of the constitutional amendment prohibiting the physical 
desecration of the flag. I was proud to be a cosponsor of that 
amendment, and even though it failed by a vote of 66 to 34, I do not 
believe it is an issue that will ``go gentle into that good night,'' to 
use the words of poet Dylan Thomas. The flag is the unifying symbol of 
our country and all it embodies. Hundreds of thousands have died 
fighting to protect what it represents. It seems only logical that we, 
as a body, would continue to fight to protect it.
  A few days after the Senate vote, I received a copy of a speech 
written by Alabama's state auditor, Beth Chapman. It was a speech she 
delivered to a meeting of the Alabama Chapter of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution--a group dedicated to promoting patriotism and 
preserving American history. I found it to be not only timely, but a 
beautifully written and passionate reminder of what the flag represents 
and why it should be protected. I ask that the full speech be printed 
in the Record.
  The material follows.

                            Flag Day Speech


 Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman's address to The state meeting of 
    the Alabama Chapter of the Daughter's of the American Revolution

       The red, white and blue, the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, 
     our Standard, the Star Spangle Banner--the American flag--it 
     has heard the battle cry for freedom and has been the banner 
     for democracy--it is our sacred symbol of the heart and soul 
     of our country--our freedom.
       It represents the fifty states and the blood of the men and 
     women who died carrying it--if not on their bodies, in their 
     hearts and souls as they fought for freedom of a nation--our 
     nation.
       Though tattered and worn, it continued to wave as 6,000 
     patriots died in the Revolutionary War breaking off the 
     chains of tyranny from Great Britain.
       It survived the Civil War and draped the caskets of many of 
     the 500,000 total (some brother against brother) who fought 
     and died defending freedom, though they disagreed on what 
     that freedom meant--the flag continued to wave in its 
     defense.
       It soared at Gettysburg, unfurled at the Battle of the 
     Bulge, was blood stained at Kasson, stood watch in the final 
     hours at Pearl Harbor as hulls of ships and shells of men 
     floated on the burning waters. It was hoisted by brave 
     American soldiers at Iwo Jima.
       Throughout history it was tested and tried on the beaches 
     of Normandy and was triumphant on the shores of Tripoli.
       It stood for justice's sake though 116,000 Americans fell 
     in WWI and 405,000 in World War II.
       It survived the numbness of frost bite in the Chosin 
     Reservoir of the Korean Conflict and heard the brassy bugle's 
     cry of Taps being played for more than 54,000 who lost their 
     lives.
       It proudly but sadly waves today over a wall that bears 
     only etched names in stone of more than 58,000 faces, hearts, 
     souls and bodies of the fallen soldiers who died in the 
     jungles of Vietnam.
       It flew for righteousness' sake mounted in the dirt of 
     Desert Storm as 293 Americans' bodies were killed but their 
     love for country was not captured, conquered or defeated.
       Most recently it saw 1,672 Americans in Operation Iraqi 
     Freedom die and is has covered the bodies of 190 killed in 
     Enduring Freedom--yet the flag still endures. It still 
     waves--restoring the foundations on which America was built 
     and reminding us of the freedom with which we've been 
     blessed.
       And today it continues to wave, somberly but surely over 
     the 260,000 brave and courageous veterans whose silent, 
     sleeping spirits remain in Arlington Cemetery. They defended 
     our freedom and determined our destiny and the destiny of our 
     nation. Now they rest in peace while we enjoy the symbolism 
     of the flag with as much passion as they once felt when they 
     were defending it.
       Many have spit on the flag, buried it and burned it, not 
     realizing the freedom it represents is what allows them that 
     right, though no matter how obnoxious and disrespectful it 
     may be, it supposedly was right.
       But what a pity they know not how much innocent blood was 
     shed so they could have that freedom to express the 
     bitterness, hatred and disrespect they appear to have for 
     their own freedom and anything it represents.
       Over one million men and women of the United States 
     Military have died defending what our flag symbolizes, but 
     others have died simply by living the American Dream which it 
     represents--2,595 civilians at the World Trade Center on 9-
     11, 92 on Flight 11 and 65 on Flight 175, 125 in the 
     Pentagon, 64 on Flight 77, and 45 on Flight 93--total of 
     2,986 died on that same tragic day--doing nothing but living 
     out in their daily lives what our flag stands for--freedom. 
     They were the innocent victims of evil people and a jealousy 
     and hatred that comes against such a beloved freedom as ours.
       And on that day when our country was at its lowest level, 
     our spirits had plummeted; we had been wounded worse than at 
     any time in our great nation--in the very middle of that 
     ordeal, three exhausted New York Fireman had the foresight, 
     the vision and the inspiration which could only be fueled 
     physically by adrenaline, but spiritually and emotionally by 
     raw patriotism--love of God and country--to hoist an American 
     flag for all the world, friend and foe alike to see, so they 
     would know we had not been defeated.
       Even in the ruin and rubble, Old Glory was raised and 
     proudly waved as she had so many times before in peace and 
     war. She rose up out of the dust, dirt and even fire to 
     restore the American spirit, which can not be snuffed out as 
     a burning candle by tragedy or hatred, but is only further 
     motivated to wave higher and further unfold to spread the 
     news of freedom and of victory.
       It symbolized freedom, hope, and determination of the 
     American people and the strength of our spirit.
       Some have purchased with blood the freedom our flag 
     represents, other have defended it--and by the grace of God 
     those of us in this room have been blessed to simply live 
     under it in the greatest country on the face of the earth.

[[Page S8607]]

       And it costs most of us nothing and that's why it should 
     have our utmost honor and respect. For the same exact flag 
     many not have been through all the battles, but what it 
     represents has been, and that is more than anyone person can 
     say.
       The flag has seen it all and survived it all, therefore, 
     the spirit and freedom which it represents has survived it 
     all. It is the epitome of the sacred symbol we know it to be.
       It stands atop the United States Supreme Court building as 
     justice attempts to be served; it stands over the United 
     States Capitol in hopes of good laws being passed and bad 
     ones being killed.
       It stands in schoolyards as children play, over Court 
     Houses and City Halls as good grassroots government is 
     hopefully being administered. It drapes the shoulders of our 
     country's finest athletes as they represent us at the 
     Olympics.
       But let us not forget that it has also left this earth to 
     represent us, to fly into the Heavens and land on the moon. 
     It has flown into the wild blue yonder far into the majestic 
     skies reaching toward the very face of God, only to explode, 
     and quickly plummet into the sea with the Challenger and the 
     brave Americans in it.
       There is little of our heritage that it has not seen; there 
     are fewer of our victories, triumphs, and tragedies that it 
     has not experienced first hand. It has waved at half mast and 
     at full mast, but it has never ceased to wave.
       It is not to be burned or buried, but flown with great 
     pride and admiration. Some say it is not the flag, but what 
     it represents that we should honor--I say we cannot honor one 
     without a pledge of allegiance to the other.
       The Pledge of Allegiance nationally debuted in October 1892 
     on Columbus Day when 12 million children across America 
     recited it for the first time.
       The Pledge of Allegiance has had three major changes:
       Originally it read: ``I pledge allegiance to my flag and to 
     the Republic for which it stands: one nation indivisible, 
     with liberty and justice for all.''
       June 14, 1923, it was revised to ``the flag'' instead of 
     ``my flag'' and the words ``United States'' were added.
       One year later it was revised to read ``the flag, of the 
     United States of America.''
       But the most significant change came on Flag Day, June 14, 
     1954, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower added these two 
     simple, but profound words: ``Under God.''
       And this is what he said about adding those two words: ``In 
     this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious 
     faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall 
     constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever 
     will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and 
     war.''
       The Pledge of Allegiance as we know it today is only 31 
     words packed with pride, honor, loyalty and devotion.
       Red Skelton, a brilliant comedic mind of another generation 
     shared this story on television many years ago. Little did he 
     know this story would be so poignant and prophetic today. He 
     shared the story of his teacher Mr. Laswell who came to think 
     his class was just saying the pledge of allegiance out of 
     routine so he made a drastic change in their schedule one 
     day. This is what he said to them:
       ``I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the 
     Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as thought it 
     is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and 
     try to explain to you the meaning of each word.''
       I--me, an individual, a committee of one.
       Pledge--dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without 
     self pity,
       Allegiance--my love and devotion
       To the flag--our standard, old glory, a symbol of freedom. 
     Wherever she waves, there's been respect because your loyalty 
     has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's 
     job.
       United--that means we all have come together.
       States--individual communities that have united into 48 
     great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride 
     and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary 
     boundaries, yet united to a common purpose and that's love 
     for country.
       And to the Republic--a state in which sovereign power is 
     invested in representatives chose by the people to govern. 
     And government is the people and it's from the people to the 
     leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
       For which it stands, one nation--one nation meaning ``so 
     blessed by God.''
       Indivisible--incapable of being divided.
       With liberty--which is freedom--the right of power to live 
     one's life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation
       And justice--the principle or quality of dealing fairly 
     with others.
       For all--which means boys, and girls, it's as much your 
     country as mine.
       Skelton later said since he was a young boy that two states 
     had been added to our country and that two words had been 
     added to our pledge--``Under God.''
       Then he smiled and said, ``Wouldn't it be a pity if someone 
     said that (those two words ``Under God'') is a prayer and 
     they would eliminate it from schools too?
       Little did he know that now, many years later, that very 
     effort has been discussed before the United States Supreme 
     Court.
       Though the words to the Pledge of Allegiance have changed 
     its purpose, meaning and intent has not.
       But the flag still waves and our nation is still one nation 
     under God and we still live under the banner of democracy and 
     the flag waves in our churches, school yards, state and 
     national government buildings and always in our hearts and 
     homes--because that's where freedom originated and that is 
     where it must remain.
       When we pledge allegiance to our flag, we are making a 
     commitment, and what we are committed to is what we become as 
     individual people, and as a nation. The destinies of many 
     nations have been determined by what their people were 
     allegiant to--Rome is a good example of that. Let America 
     never become a Rome.
       Our flag is more than three colors of cloth and millions of 
     pieces of thread sown by hand. It is more than Betsy Ross and 
     Francis Scott Key. It represents a message of hope and 
     freedom that is carried in the hearts and souls of the people 
     of a nation for generations.
       I pray today that God will continue to bless this country 
     and that we may never divorce ourselves from the preservation 
     of that freedom for which our men and women have died and our 
     flag still boldly stands.
       Now let us stand and with great pride, honor, humility and 
     resolve--with great enthusiasm, fervor, patriotism, passion 
     and respect to say our pledge of allegiance together as we 
     have never said it before.

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