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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For more than two centuries, the American flag has |
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| 6 | 7 | | symbolized the values, ideals, and spirit of our nation, and |
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| 7 | 8 | | Americans celebrate Flag Day each year to mark the anniversary of |
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| 8 | 9 | | the official adoption of the Stars and Stripes on June 14, 1777; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The idea for an annual day of celebration of the |
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| 10 | 11 | | American flag is believed to have originated in 1885, when a |
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| 11 | 12 | | Wisconsin public school teacher arranged for his students to |
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| 12 | 13 | | commemorate "Flag Birthday" on June 14; celebrations were held |
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| 13 | 14 | | throughout the late 19th century by the Betsy Ross House in |
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| 14 | 15 | | Philadelphia, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, |
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| 15 | 16 | | and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the |
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| 16 | 17 | | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a |
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| 18 | 19 | | proclamation establishing Flag Day as a nationwide observance, |
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| 19 | 20 | | calling on Americans to consider it "a day upon which we should |
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| 20 | 21 | | direct our minds with a special desire of renewal to thoughts of the |
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| 21 | 22 | | ideals and principles of which we have sought to make our great |
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| 22 | 23 | | Government the embodiment"; with the observance growing in |
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| 23 | 24 | | popularity in communities around the country, President Harry |
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| 24 | 25 | | Truman signed an Act of Congress in 1949 officially designating |
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| 25 | 26 | | June 14 as National Flag Day; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Known fondly as the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, |
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| 27 | 28 | | and the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag originally bore 13 stars in a |
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| 28 | 29 | | circle, representing the original 13 states of the union, and the |
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| 29 | 30 | | number has expanded as the nation has grown; the blue field behind |
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| 30 | 31 | | the stars signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice; the |
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| 31 | 32 | | flag's 13 stripes reflect the number of colonies that joined |
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| 32 | 33 | | together to become an independent nation, with the white stripes |
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| 33 | 34 | | also symbolizing purity and innocence and the red stripes |
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| 34 | 35 | | symbolizing hardiness and valor; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, The flag has been a source of strength and comfort to |
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| 36 | 37 | | American troops in wartime and was a particularly poignant symbol |
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| 37 | 38 | | for soldiers taking part in the D-Day invasion during World War II |
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| 38 | 39 | | and for American prisoners of war in Vietnam; one of the POWs, Mike |
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| 39 | 40 | | Christian, secretly sewed a flag to his clothing to inspire his |
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| 40 | 41 | | fellow prisoners, and he was undaunted by the savage beating he |
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| 41 | 42 | | received from his North Vietnamese captors in retaliation; and |
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| 42 | 43 | | WHEREAS, Citizens of totalitarian and communist countries |
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| 43 | 44 | | often wave the American flag as a symbol of liberty and freedom; |
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| 44 | 45 | | this was recently witnessed in Hong Kong, when protesters displayed |
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| 45 | 46 | | the stars and stripes as part of their resistance to communist |
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| 46 | 47 | | Chinese rule in the territory; and |
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| 47 | 48 | | WHEREAS, The patriotic display of the flag prompts many |
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| 48 | 49 | | Americans to sing along with the Lee Greenwood hit "God Bless the |
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| 49 | 50 | | U.S.A.," proclaiming "I thank my lucky stars - To be living here |
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| 50 | 51 | | today - 'Cause the flag still stands for freedom - And they can't |
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| 51 | 52 | | take that away"; moreover, country music icon Johnny Cash wrote his |
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| 52 | 53 | | song "Ragged Old Flag" to "reaffirm faith in the country and the |
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| 53 | 54 | | goodness of the American people," and the song is performed at |
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| 54 | 55 | | events around the nation, from ceremonies at West Point to local |
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| 55 | 56 | | Veterans Day and Independence Day observances; and |
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| 56 | 57 | | WHEREAS, The flag that once united our fledgling republic |
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| 57 | 58 | | continues to be a beacon of hope and freedom for people around the |
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| 58 | 59 | | world, and Flag Day serves as an occasion to celebrate the legacy of |
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| 59 | 60 | | Old Glory and to reflect on the national heritage for which it |
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| 60 | 61 | | stands; now, therefore, be it |
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| 61 | 62 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 62 | 63 | | Legislature hereby commemorate June 14, 2022, as Flag Day and |
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| 63 | 64 | | encourage all Texans to display and pay respect to the American |
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| 64 | 65 | | flag. |
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