Flag-Wavers Home-Run

FLAG-WAVERS HOME-RUN

The Spirit of America Day has hurtled many obstacles, over the years,
in order to encourage the outstanding, high-school "Athletes, Citizens
and Leaders", who are honored at the Mississippi capital. A Communist
website even denounced the ceremonies, editorializing, "What's sports
got to do with patriotism, anyhow?" Robert Walker was another who,
apparently, just "didn't get it," that the title of "All-American"
carries with it exemplary character, standout performance and
patriotic spirit. Upon taking over management of Jackson City Hall,
Walker tried to cancel the event, in which honorary-citizenship
proclamations, from Mayors across Mississippi, are presented to the
Spirit of America award-honorees in the council-chamber. Lawyers for
America's Foundation, who had established the right of citizens to
use public-buildings in the United States Supreme Court, backed
Walker down. Flag-wavers batted in a home-run, as ceremonies
continued, including the re-posting of the Mississippi Flag.

Apathy has, also, been an obstacle, with some coaches and fans
suggesting, "Why bother?" in expressing love-of-country as part of
love-of-sports. Dustin Barnes, a reporter for Fox News, even
mentioned that, although his station had covered the Banquet of
Champions, video was not archived for future use. "There are just so
many programs," Barnes stated. "We can't save them all." To encourage
a "can-do," red-white-and-blue attitude, however, youngsters have
carried small American and Mississippi flags with them, during the
day-long ceremonies, saying, as one award-winner put it, "We're not
ashamed to show our colors, so neither should you." When new
security-rules were promulgated at the Mississippi Capitol,
prohibiting "sticks" to be brought into the gallery, Sergeant-at-Arms
Korell Dampeer demanded that the young men retrain from carrying their
flags. The Honorees refused, evoking scowls from Dampeer's assistant,
Winfred Crane. But Dampeer reared up the following year.

The lawyers for America's Foundation fired back, going directly to
Clerk of the House of Representatives Don Richardson, a former
private-school principal, insisting that an "exception" should be
made to the rules to allow the display of national and state flags
before lawmakers, who precede their own deliberations with the
"Pledge of Allegiance". Richardson agreed to a "compromise," where
the Honorees, including their parents and fans, could bring their
flags into the gallery, but placing the sticks in a coat-pocket,
rather than waving them. Officials agreed and the flags were carried
and displayed. But, not before Crane, once again, tried to bar the
young men from the gallery. Quick intervention by Richardson lifted
the last-minute ban and Crane, who had stood in the door, stepped
aside. A disgruntled Representative, Robert Johnson, tried to prevail
upon lawmakers to halt recognition of the flag-wavers, but both the
House and Senate welcomed the youngsters and passed resolutions in
their honor.

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