"And then one young face…"
Nothing in this photo is a given.
Not the boat.
Not the water.
Not the Flag.
Not the right to hold it.
Nothing.
I do not know this man's name, I don't care to know this man's name. Remember not who holds the flags, remember not who stands with the flags, remember only…
…those who have fallen with the flags.
On this July 4th.
Remember Crispus Attucks.
The first man killed in the American Revolution. Some say he was an African American, some say he was a runaway slave, some say he was Native American.
I say this.
He was at the front of the line marching against the British. He was standing up for our right to be us…to be free, free from tyranny.
I don't know what he was when he was standing up, but when an invading soldier killed him, when Crispus Attucks hit the ground…
…he was an American.
"…he says to me…"
Know also these names: Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, Samuel Gray and Patrick Carr.
Number two, number three, number four and number five.
Born being ruled.
Died being Americans.
Every flag you hold belongs to them. Every flag you hold belongs to the fallen.
As does everything else you do.
Life and death are the only givens we have. What you do in between, that's where our rights are found.
If instead of stars on the flag, we wrote the names of all those fallen who defended it, our flag, would wrap the earth, as it is, our flag wraps all of us within it.
I'm glad this fellow holds this flag like he does. I'm sure he is a nice guy, a good angler.
But know not his name.
Know those who gave their all, for that flag.
Know those who gave their all, for us.
Find your flag, hold it high, hold it proud, sing the song of America.
Then sing the praise of the millions of names of those fallen for that flag.
When you do, begin with this one Crispus Attucks.
And next 4th of July, and all those Independence Days that follow, if you are near Boston, Massachusetts, try and stop by the Granary Burying Ground where you will see an old grave marker with the names of the first six fallen Americans.
Say a prayer for them.
Say a prayer for us.
And when you leave, leave behind an American Flag.
For it is after all…
…theirs.
"…please remember me."
Names On The Wall
Francesca Beghe
Happy 4th of July