Happy Flag Day!
A little life update for this little-known holiday
Tomorrow, on June 14, Americans across all 50 states will celebrate Flag Day, an admittedly little-known holiday commemorating a declaration by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. While idea for Flag Day was first proposed during the American Civil War in 1861, it was not until 1949 when congress formally established the holiday, which was ultimately signed into law by President Harry Truman. While the popular legend claims that Philadelphia upholsterer Betsy Ross played a critical role in designing the circular arrangement of 13 white stars on a blue field and 13 more red and white stripes, there is no definitive record of any particular individual behind the final design. However, still to this day, the legend of Betsy Ross has enshrined itself in our national canon, and several acts by the United States government have also enshrined Flag Day into its place on Americans’ calendars. While for most Americans this holiday remains on printed calendars, I have decided this year to take this holiday a step further by giving you an update on my life.
While I did give you a brief update on my brief visit to Poland, I believe my readers would also be interested in my recent experiences in my own country. Nearly a month ago now, I was privileged enough, thanks to my friend and AWC Family Foundation director John Carney’s connections, to participate as a judge in the Tennessee chapter of the National Civics Bee, a competition hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce for middle schoolers that promotes knowledge of American history and constitutional principles. Since the competition was so similar to the Geography Bee I competed in as a child, I was eager, though admittedly a little nervous, to participate. Before the competition, I read the best 12 essays submitted by students across the state describing a problem in their community and methods they would take to solve it. The statewide winner would be awarded a position in the national finals in Washington DC this summer.
Even though we were only dealing with middle schoolers, I was thoroughly impressed with the material the students had prepared and the dedication each and every one of them carried for their respective causes. What stood out for me was how these kids all seemed engaged in their communities and how they presented serious policy proposals with a logical and clear delivery. While many of us no longer in school imagine today’s middle schoolers as hopelessly lost in social media and falling far behind on reading and math, let alone history and civics, these kids gave me hope for our country. In turn, being a judge at the Tennessee Civics Bee at the AWC-funded Tennessee State Museum was a thoroughly fulfilling experience, an experience I hope to repeat next year.
Last week, I have also had the pleasure to attend an event with Vice President JD Vance at a home in Nashville, my second encounter with the man, but my first since he assumed his current office. Security was intense, with reportedly 100 Secret Service agents lurking around the property and helicopters, drones, and even a fighter jet flying overhead asked him specifically about two incidents that received coverage in my previous writings: his speech at the Munich Security Conference and the train wreck in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Zelensky. Vance assured me, along with the other guests that there was no pre-planned “ambush” as alleged by some journalists and instead both he and the president became frustrated with Zelensky allegedly rolling his eyes and contradicting them and just snapped. Finally, I met an assistant to a highly distinguished individual and may have some very good news for you regarding a future podcast guest for my next season.
And happy Flag Day to all!