The Grand Old Flag

I took my nine-year-old to Fort McHenry yesterday. She's working on a project about Maryland history, and picked the place where the Americans fought off the British in 1814 during a bombardment that was the backdrop for the writing of the "The Star Spangled Banner." We started at the visitors' center, of course, and then watched a quick movie. When it ended, some music came on--a male choir (a really, really good one) singing "The Star Spangled Banner"--and, as they sang, the curtain slowly drew back along the side of the room to reveal...the flag itself, flying over the fort just the way it had in September 1814. I felt an unexpected wave of emotion....pride in my country, mingled with fear. Are we still the home of the brave? Absolutely. The land of the free? Yeah....mostly. (ADVISORY: These comments are not necessarily the opinions of the National Security Administration, which may or may not be reading this.)