Mayor Woodford: Good evening. I now call to order the Wednesday, June 4, 2025 meeting of the Appleton Common Council. Please rise for the invocation, which will be delivered by Alder Hartzheim.
Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim (District 13): Thank you, Chair. I asked for this invocation opportunity tonight to expound a bit on patriotism and the American flag on this week before Flag Day and the City of Appleton’s 74th Flag Day Parade. It’s next Saturday, June 14, at 2pm if you don’t already know.
As we will soon recite the pledge of allegiance to begin this meeting, and thankfully, all official city meetings, we are reminded of that symbol which unites us despite our divisions along conservative or libertarian or liberal or progressive lines. Those who sit near me during meetings have become accustomed to but are still sometimes thrown off by my cadence in the “one nation under God” phrase. Some here don’t even say the words “under God”, and most put an unspoken comma between “one nation” and “under God”, as we were likely all taught as children, using parsed phrasing to aid in memorization, despite the fact that there’s truly no comma in the official rendering of the pledge.
But regardless how exactly it said, by reciting it together, we share this statement of commitment to the symbol of the greatness of our nation. The 50 stars, symbolizing the states, representing the heavens and the divine goal to which man has inspired from time immemorial; the stripes, symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun and representing the 13 original colonies; and the colors, red for hardiness and valor, white for purity and innocence, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. The American flag is a beacon of hope for those who every day chase their dreams here, and it’s a constant reminder of the sacrifices that hundreds of thousands of American service men and women have made and continue to make to protect our freedoms. Our flag represents the charity, idealism, ingenuity and heritage of our country and its people. It serves as an inspiration for millions of people around the world.
The theme of this year’s Appleton Flag Day Parade is “Honor, Courage, Commitment” as an homage to the core values of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy, as each celebrates 250 years of service here in 2025. Let us pray tonight that we will continue to honor all of the high ideals that the American flag symbolizes, that we show courage and do not lose sight of the promise that this country still holds, despite our everyday doubts and fears, that we all remain fervently committed to the high ideals of this great country, and that God continues to bless America.
Be the first to reply