Opinion

Fly the flag for Constitution Day

Posted September 16, 2013 5:00 am

We fly the flag on Sept. 11 to mark a dark day in our history. But be sure to fly your flag on Tuesday to mark a glorious day in our history, Constitution Day. On Sept. 17, 1787, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the proposed Constitution of the United States of America.

While almost everyone knows that our nation’s birthday is July 4 when it declared is independence, far fewer know that Sept. 17 is the birthday of our government. Since 1997, Sept. 17 has by federal law been a day intended to celebrate not only the birthday of our government, but the ideas that make us Americans. Schools are tasked by federal mandate to provide an appropriate program of education to students on Constitution Day. Hopefully the neighborhood will be awash with red, white and blue, Old Glory flying in the breeze on this important occasion.

William R. Bickley

Mount Prospect

Commander, American Legion Post 166

Glenview

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