Troop 10 Boy Scouts Garrett Singer, left, and Daved Paddack were flag honor guard Monday at Public Square recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by members of several area Exchange Clubs. (Credit: By Kevin G. Gilbert/Staff Photographer / )
Troop 10 Boy Scouts Garrett Singer, left, and Daved Paddack were flag honor guard Monday at Public Square recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by members of several area Exchange Clubs. (Credit: By Kevin G. Gilbert/Staff Photographer / ) |
By BRIDGET DiCOSMO
bridget.dicosmo@herald-mail.com
HAGERSTOWN — When Nancy Mullinex stepped off a city bus at Public Square in downtown Hagerstown during the lunch hour Monday, she wasn’t sure why there was a small crowd gathered in front of an American flag.
After learning that a brief flag ceremony — a collaborative effort between three local Exchange Club chapters — was designed to remind people of the sentiment behind the flag, Mullinex said she thought it was an important concept.
“I think it’s a good idea. A lot of people don’t know how to fly the flag or any of that,” said Mullinex, of Hagerstown.
Scott Paddack, president of the Antietam chapter of the National Exchange Club, said the organizations had searched for a way of reinforcing their constant goal of promoting “Americanism.”
“For us, it was a matter of creating a simple event where people can stop by when they got off work, on their way to lunch,” Paddack said.
A handful of city officials and several curious pedestrians like Mullinex stopped by the flag ceremony, held Monday at 12:15 p.m.
The small group listened as Paddack recited a brief history of the Pledge of Allegiance, composed by Francis Bellamy in 1892.
“The very simple process of writing the pledge was that — to keep it simple,” Paddack said.
The Hagerstown, Antietam and Washington County Friends of Education Exchange Club chapters have each held flag ceremonies for years, but Monday was the first time the clubs joined forces, said Dave Ashburn, president of the Washington County chapter of the National Exchange Club.
“I think the whole idea is Americanism,” Ashburn said.
Ashburn said he believes the country is losing the unity formed in the wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and he believes events like Monday’s short ceremony are important to bring people together and promote patriotism.
Paddack, who serves as senior district executive for Boy Scouts of America, said Scouts who attended the event would be fulfilling a flag ceremony requirement.
Two Boy Scouts, Daved Paddack, 15, and Garrett Singer, 14, participated in the ceremony and presented the colors.
Garrett had never participated in a flag event before. He said he felt a little nervous beforehand and hoped he wouldn’t make a mistake.
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| From: NubisPertusus Thu 05 Nov 2009 09:53:22 PM EST | A long time ago, I earned my Eagle Scout. Scouts are supposed to earn Citizenship in the Nation merit badge. In part that means they are supposed to learn about the separation of powers outlined in our constitution. In the First Amendment, Congress is barred from establishing a national religion. So in 1954, Congress inserts "under God" into the pledge. Scouts are also supposed to be trustworthy. In court, defenders of the words "under God" deceitfully argue they are about history and ceremony, but NOT about religion or God. The only honest way those words can appear in the pledge is to pass a constitutional amendment declaring this a christian, or at least monotheistic nation. Anything else is, well, not trustworthy. And using deceit to strip a minority of their constitutional right of religious liberty while pledging is not loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous or kind, either. NubisPertusus.wordpress.com |
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