You’re a grand old flag,

You’re a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You’re the emblem of

The land I love.

The home of the free and the brave.

Ev’ry heart beats true

’neath the Red, White and Blue,

Where there’s never a boast or brag.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

_ George M. Cohan

Cohan, the top Broadway entertainer of the early 20th century, said the inspiration for that song was overhearing a Civil War veteran lovingly refer to his battalion’s battle-torn flag as "a grand old rag."

The ultra-patriotic Cohan, upon being criticized for calling it a "rag," changed the lyric to "flag."

The Stars and Stripes meant a lot to Cohan, as it does to millions of Americans today. But the flag itself is only a piece of cloth. What’s important is what that flag represents.

The most precious thing it represents is freedom _ freedom to remove your hat and hold your hand over your heart as it passes by ... or to burn the flag to protest whatever you think is wrong with this country.

Flag Day is today, and it doesn’t get an awful lot of attention around here among the general public.

Since it’s not an official federal holiday, you’ll be getting your mail, and you won’t be getting time-and-a-half for working today.

There’s not much around to give any indication that it’s not just an ordinary day.

There’s a nice parade today in Stamford, and the Oneonta Elks Club and American Legion had an event celebrating the holiday Wednesday. In addition, there are various small gatherings here and there.

Today’s Daily Star has a special section today commemorating the holiday, and the newspaper is continuing its tradition of giving out small American flags to children today beginning at 3 p.m. at 102 Chestnut St. in Oneonta.

We suggest that parents take a few minutes to tell their kids just what that flag means to them. Here’s some history, if you want to impart it.

National Flag Day is June 14 every year because that’s the day in 1777 that the Second Continental Congress adopted the flag of the United States.

President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation in 1916 that officially made June 14 Flag Day, and in 1949, an Act of Congress established National Flag Day.

While you’re at it, tell them about the Bill of Rights and the wonderful liberty that the little flag they’re waving around represents.

Tell them how precious those liberties are and how it was no accident that in 1814 Francis Scott Key referred to a star-spangled banner that waved "o’er the land of the free."

Tell them that ensuring those freedoms is something they must do when they grow up so that our flag will continue to be worth celebrating.