LA_MERC_Bacowrath
June 29th, 2007, 09:11 AM
I got sick of seeing that roid-tard's name in the "In Rememberance" box:)
I wanted to pay tribute to the "patriots" who gave more than we could ever imagine so that we could be free. Since I won't have access to a computer this July 4th, I decided to post this now:)
This is the story of our national anthem. Some of you may learn some new details of how it came to be :)
Francis Scott Key was a lawyer in Baltimore. The colonies were in conflict with the British government, and several men on both sides were taken as prisoners of war. The American POW's were kept in the hull of ships in the harbor. Key was sent out to negotiate an exchange of prisoners. When Key boarded the ship he was met by the British Admiral, and negotiations commenced. After a short while, an agreement was reached, and an exchange of one for one was agreed upon. Key, jubilant that he was successful, went down into the hold of that ship and announced to those men that upon the eve, they would be free. As Key returned to the deck of that ship he was met by the British Admiral. The admiral said "Mr. Key, we have a slight problem. Our agreement shall still be honored, however the exchange will not take place for another day." "Why is that." Key asked, puzzled by the change of plans. "Do you see that fort over there?" the admiral asked Key. "Yes." Key replied. "The people in that fort refuse to conceed to our demands, and will not lower that flag that you have adopted. The occupants of the fort have until nightfall to lower their standard, if not, we will shell their position until they comply." Key looked over at the lonely fort with a look of horor and said to the admiral "Sir, Fort McHenry is barely a military installation. Their defenses are weak, and it is occupied by women and children." The admiral replied "Then, for their sakes, I hope that they comply." As night fell upon the land, the red, white, and blue still flew proudly or the rampart. Suddenly, as Key watched the fort, cannon fire errupted from hundreds of British vessles. Key later stated that it was deafning, like a constant roll of thunder, not another sound could be heard. As key watched the explosions of yellow, orange, and red fall upon the fort, he could only pray for the occupants inside, however he dreaded the worst. As Key watched through the diminishing smoke, and by the lights of the rockets and explosions, he noticed that the flag was still standing!!! The British admiral was puzzled, as well as angered by that sight. "Train all batteries upon that position!" the admiral commanded. The cannon fire resumed and the flag's position was decimated. As dawn fell upon the fort, the men in the hold of the prison ship called up to Key "Is the flag still there." To Key's amazement, the tattered remnants of the defiant colors still flying over the fort! "Yes, boys, she still stands." Replied Key. Key later wrote that when he entered the fort the next day, he had never seen a sight so horrible, nor wonderful in his lifetime. As he made his way to the position of the still flying remnants of the flag, he noticed that the flag pole was angled at an odd position. When he got to the sight, what he saw there inspired him to pen down the words of the Star Spangled Banner. You see, the flag pole was repeatedly hit by British cannon fire, however, brave men ran from the safety of the bunkers of the fort to hold the pole in place. The now leaning flagpole was held up by the many bodies of those who kept her flying!!! Key was so inspired, that he penned down these words:
O say can you see, by the dawns early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Who's broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so galantly streaming? And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave! O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave
We sing this song at ballgames, and functions, yet sometimes the words just waft over our minds, without a though of what they mean. When people burn the flag in protest, they aren't burning a symbol of our government, they are burning the memory of those who gave them the freedom to do so. When they spit on her, they aren't spitting on political policy, or politicians, they are spitting upon themselves. That flag has forgotten meaning and purpose.
13 stripes= 13 origional colonies
50 stars= 50 states
white= a nation founded on the principles of purity
Blue field with white stars= a new constellation, born in freedom
red= the blood of the patriots, some who I have known well, who gave it all for someone else to live free.
This July 4th, lets not dwell on all of the negative stuff going on right now, lets remember those who sacrificed it all, so that we would have the freedom to have, and express our own personal opinions :)
Happy 4th!!!
Barry:iwo
I wanted to pay tribute to the "patriots" who gave more than we could ever imagine so that we could be free. Since I won't have access to a computer this July 4th, I decided to post this now:)
This is the story of our national anthem. Some of you may learn some new details of how it came to be :)
Francis Scott Key was a lawyer in Baltimore. The colonies were in conflict with the British government, and several men on both sides were taken as prisoners of war. The American POW's were kept in the hull of ships in the harbor. Key was sent out to negotiate an exchange of prisoners. When Key boarded the ship he was met by the British Admiral, and negotiations commenced. After a short while, an agreement was reached, and an exchange of one for one was agreed upon. Key, jubilant that he was successful, went down into the hold of that ship and announced to those men that upon the eve, they would be free. As Key returned to the deck of that ship he was met by the British Admiral. The admiral said "Mr. Key, we have a slight problem. Our agreement shall still be honored, however the exchange will not take place for another day." "Why is that." Key asked, puzzled by the change of plans. "Do you see that fort over there?" the admiral asked Key. "Yes." Key replied. "The people in that fort refuse to conceed to our demands, and will not lower that flag that you have adopted. The occupants of the fort have until nightfall to lower their standard, if not, we will shell their position until they comply." Key looked over at the lonely fort with a look of horor and said to the admiral "Sir, Fort McHenry is barely a military installation. Their defenses are weak, and it is occupied by women and children." The admiral replied "Then, for their sakes, I hope that they comply." As night fell upon the land, the red, white, and blue still flew proudly or the rampart. Suddenly, as Key watched the fort, cannon fire errupted from hundreds of British vessles. Key later stated that it was deafning, like a constant roll of thunder, not another sound could be heard. As key watched the explosions of yellow, orange, and red fall upon the fort, he could only pray for the occupants inside, however he dreaded the worst. As Key watched through the diminishing smoke, and by the lights of the rockets and explosions, he noticed that the flag was still standing!!! The British admiral was puzzled, as well as angered by that sight. "Train all batteries upon that position!" the admiral commanded. The cannon fire resumed and the flag's position was decimated. As dawn fell upon the fort, the men in the hold of the prison ship called up to Key "Is the flag still there." To Key's amazement, the tattered remnants of the defiant colors still flying over the fort! "Yes, boys, she still stands." Replied Key. Key later wrote that when he entered the fort the next day, he had never seen a sight so horrible, nor wonderful in his lifetime. As he made his way to the position of the still flying remnants of the flag, he noticed that the flag pole was angled at an odd position. When he got to the sight, what he saw there inspired him to pen down the words of the Star Spangled Banner. You see, the flag pole was repeatedly hit by British cannon fire, however, brave men ran from the safety of the bunkers of the fort to hold the pole in place. The now leaning flagpole was held up by the many bodies of those who kept her flying!!! Key was so inspired, that he penned down these words:
O say can you see, by the dawns early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Who's broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so galantly streaming? And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave! O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave
We sing this song at ballgames, and functions, yet sometimes the words just waft over our minds, without a though of what they mean. When people burn the flag in protest, they aren't burning a symbol of our government, they are burning the memory of those who gave them the freedom to do so. When they spit on her, they aren't spitting on political policy, or politicians, they are spitting upon themselves. That flag has forgotten meaning and purpose.
13 stripes= 13 origional colonies
50 stars= 50 states
white= a nation founded on the principles of purity
Blue field with white stars= a new constellation, born in freedom
red= the blood of the patriots, some who I have known well, who gave it all for someone else to live free.
This July 4th, lets not dwell on all of the negative stuff going on right now, lets remember those who sacrificed it all, so that we would have the freedom to have, and express our own personal opinions :)
Happy 4th!!!
Barry:iwo