America was not founded on a flag or anthem.
America was not founded on a flag.
We have had several in our history and it changes every time we grow and add states to our union.
America was not founded on a national anthem.
The Star Spangled Banner didn't become our national anthem until 1931 and it was written in 1814 so obviously people were in no hurry for one at the time.
This country was founded on the U.S. Constitution. We are a nation of shared basic rights and equally applied laws as detailed in that document. We get to change it whenever we want but that's our set of rules, period.
Americans are really good at saluting the flag and singing the anthem, and then claiming their patriotism street cred but that is as substantially patriotic as wearing a tissue paper suit in a rainstorm.
Authentic patriotism is about making sure the rights and laws of the Constitution are equally applied to all citizens. This has been the part America hasn't gotten right in the last two hundred and thirty odd years.
Peaceful protest was built into the Constitution, along with certain free speech rights. Some citizens are currently protesting our Anthem because there is a systemic problem in our application of justice right now and we have to address it and fix it.
America is a nation that was built to evolve like our Founders expected would happen. That's why we change laws and or try to apply them in a more equal and fair manner. That's why we can change the Constitution any time we realize more people need their rights and protections under the law.
People who are upset by these protests can pretend the football players, our fellow citizens, are protesting the flag, the anthem, the military and the whole country but that is disingenuous at best.
They are protesting inequality in the rule of law and protecting our free speech as an added benefit.
They are following the rules laid out in our Constitution.
They are taking a knee for the Constitution.
You can take away our flag and we are still America.
You can take away our national anthem and we are still America.
If you take away our Constitution then America ceases to exist.
Then we'll all be on our knees.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Plus, one would first have to convince people of a need to replace the basis of law in this country. I am sure the evangelical Christian religious right could supply such a rationale. It seems to be their wet dream.
Not mine, however.
I stand by my post as i wrote it, without any further interpretations of what is or is not American beyond the undeniable fact that the US Constitution is the basis of law for this country.
My best to you.
"A republic, if you can keep it."
Benjamin Franklin
Some here apparently need to brush up on history and civics.
As always, my best.
It wasn't words that founded our country, it sure wasn't a piece of paper. It was the ideas and ideals that did it. The Constitution has changed over the years, the ideals of "free" that did found our country has only changed to add more "free".
Here you go,
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
Im sure someone so learned in history and civics does not need to be told that the Declaration came before the Constitution. Or maybe Hancock, Adams, Paine, Franklin, Jefferson, and Penn didnt know what they were talking about and you do.
Thanks!
Eko.
That's why it's called The Declaration of Independence. However, it did not form a government. At that time there was only the Articles of Confederation as a basis for the country.
The founders gathered in Philadelphia to strengthen that document to make it a suitable basis on which to form our government. Judging it insufficient, the convention decided to scrap the Articles and write a new Constitution, setting up three coequal branches of government and the rules by which they operate.
Without the US Constitution we have no government.
I confess that I have really no idea what you are arguing about. These principles are really, really simple.
Have a nice day, my friend.
The Declaration was a Declaration of Independence, but it was also the Declaration of war against the U.K. That independence was finally won when we won the war.
Yes! That founded our country, however it did not found our government. For that we needed a constitution laying out the form and rules of our country's government. Without that document we have no republic, no presidency, no congress, no courts, etc. Without the Constitution we would still be operating under the decidedly inferior Articles of Confederation, which the first Con Con wisely decided to discard.
Now, I am done here.
Thank you for responding.
The title of the Thread is "America was not founded on a flag or anthem."
It does not say American government, but you keep arguing that is what they are saying.
You should learn to argue on what was said, not what you think it said.
Thanks!,
Eko 
"Politicians hide behind 3 things - the flag, the Bible, and children. I consider these things to be symbols and I leave them to the symbol minded!"
So true! 
