Why this day is special
I
joined Toastmasters in 1996 and I heard a speech about Francis Scott Key and
the circumstances of which he wrote the “Star Spangled Banner”. He was an envoy
to negotiate a truce with the British on a battle ship off of the coast of
Fort McHenry near Baltimore MD. When Francis Scott Key boarded the ship he was taken
into custody and the British sent a courier to shore with a demand for
surrender to the Fort stating that if the Americans in the Fort did not
surrender that they would bombard the fort taking the flag down. During the night
the British bombarded the Fort, aiming directly for the flag pole and when
every time they thought they had a direct hit they would shoot up a flare to
see if the flag was still there and every time they did, to their surprise it
would always be flying. That is when Francis Scott Key wrote out the “Star
Spangled Banner”. When dawn came the flag was still flying and the British
released Francis Scott Key and when he arrived at the Fort he witnessed a pile
of dead Americand who rushed into hold up the Flag every time a cannonball
knocked it down or killed the patriot who had been holding it up. They did this
all night until dawn. They beat the British purely with their will that could
not be defeated even despite certain death. I was talking with a friend about
the softening of America. Our enemies have been working on us for years.
Influencing our attitudes and emasculating our young men, under the guise of
political correctness. I see it all around me. Standing up for ourselves has
been made into a character flaw. I am grateful that the Bowe Bergdahls of the
world are in the minority still.
