Pre-Pledge Ceremony (11/19-25)

[ Note: Before starting this ceremony, CLICK TO CHECK 'TODAY'S FLAG STATUS'. If your state is at half-staff, memorize the honoree's name and job/position, so you can say it within today's pre-Pledge ceremony script below. We recommend that you read aloud all the ceremony text, except: do not read any text with [brackets] around it. ]

Good morning, ___(insert name of location - like "Heritage Elementary")___
Welcome to this week's
Beacon of Honor
Pre-Pledge Ceremony
[ for the week of November 19th to 25th, 2017 ]

[Note: You're welcome to play 'America the Beautiful', performed by the U.S. Army Field Band, in the background to enhance today's ceremony experience]

The 'Beacon of Honor - Awakens Our Flag' ... to Inform and Inspire Patriotic Citizens ...

TODAY'S FLAG STATUS:

In our state, the Stars and Stripes flies at ___(say "full" or "half")___ staff today.
[End it here or read the following sentence if there is a half-staff in your state today]
[Optional - only say if your state is at half-staff today:]
The half-staff in our state is to honor ___(say full name of honoree)___ who served as a ___(say public servant job / position - such as firefighter, state rep, etc.)___ for our state.

THIS WEEK'S REMINDER FROM OUR FLAG:
... One of America's most famous speeches ...

[ Lincoln at Gettysburg just before speech (top right). Dead bodies of Union and Confederate soldiers litter the battlefield. = public domain pics ]

On this date, November 19th, in 1863, President Abe Lincoln delivered his memorable 'Gettysburg Address.' After the crowd patiently listened to famous speaker Ed Everett of Massachusetts for two long hours, Abe Lincoln stood up and delivered his address in less than two minutes. The crowd did not seemed impressed by his speech. But, later on, after reflecting upon and publishing his address in newsprint across the USA, folks realized this speech symbolized what democracy, and the current war to defend it, was all about. The Gettysburg Address has gone on to be one of America's most famous, and probably most recited speeches. Now, it's your turn to recite it.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

THIS WEEK'S (NEW) FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS' COMMEMORATION:

[ public domain image ]

Thankfully, there are no new fallen combatants from the current Global War of Terrorism this week.
We honor, thank, and pray for all those service members who are defending our freedoms and fighting to liberate the lives of others.

via GIPHY

Now, please, stand, place your hand upon your heart, and make this Pledge of Allegiance more meaningful
by honoring Our Flag and all the inspiring stories it tells - like that of Abe Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and his call that our "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Yes, in the 1950s your grandparents / great-grandparents were clean cut and took the Pledge of Allegiance seriously - like the kid with his mouth wide open in the front row ;) [public domain image]

Thanks for participating in today's Beacon of Honor - Awakens Our Flag
Pre-Pledge Ceremony
Now, go be a good citizen!!!

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END OF CEREMONY
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[Cover of U.S. Government Publication]

The U.S. Flag Code:
provides Our Flag's Rules and Regulations

[HIGHLIGHTS OF: The U.S. Flag Code stating how citizens should conduct themselves during this ceremony is below.]

Title 36, Chapter 10 PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS
National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner, conduct during playing:
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.
Note: A new law was passed on October 30, 2008 that authorizes veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem. This publication is currently being updated to reflect the new law.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.

Content Sources & Credits:
Sources: Click here to see our Sources for content research
Credits: Unless otherwise noted here, photos displayed each day are public domain images, pictures by Sean Sweeney, or used by permission.

To learn more about the Beacon of Honor nonprofit project, go to http://BeaconOfHonor.org
SF