If you are an American, you were undoubtedly taught by the time you entered the first grade that the proper way to pay respect to and honor our American flag was to rise to your feet, remove your cap, and either salute with your right hand or cover your heart whenever our National Anthem was played.
That's the way most of us grew up. As young men turned 18, they registered for the draft. If called upon, we served. Were there ever any problems in the U.S.A.? Certainly there were. During the Viet Nam era radicals even went so far as to set fire to plenty of American flags.
Yet red-blooded Americans of all races, colors and creeds who believed in our way of life refused to show disrespect to our flag. Dissidents had little impact on the over-whelming majority of us. As a Nation of people, we stood tall and proud.
If you consider yourself a patriotic American, things that are happening today can be very vexing. Certain people in today's world are of the opinion that choosing to demonstrate bitterness toward America by opting to refuse to stand for our Anthem is an appropriate form of behavior.
If you are proud to be an American and still swell with pride every time America's colors are presented and our Anthem is played, spend 11 minutes and 38 seconds to watch and listen to Robert Sorgenor's account of Francis Scott Key and the story of "The Star Spangled Banner".
And as you watch the video, please remember this. Being proud of your American heritage is not something new. It's in your blood. It's part of your being. Stand tall. Stand proud. And never allow yourself to have concern for any individual who is so ashamed of America he cannot find it in his heart to rise to his feet and honor our Flag.