TOMS RIVER – Flag Day, June 14, is more than a time to honor the red, white and blue, it’s also a day to celebrate our freedom as Americans, said Joseph H. Vicari, Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.
“On Flag Day we celebrate the cherished meaning behind the Stars and Stripes,” Vicari said. “We revel freedom, justice and every American who upholds the virtues of our great nation.”
Vicari said the meaning of Flag Day is even more important in these turbulent times.
“Our country remains divided in so many ways,” he said. “We’ve seen protests, political disputes and even threats of violence. Through this all, I am confident the nation will unite under the glorious flag that represents us all. The American Flag still shines bright, as it always will.”
Vicari said that while he supports everyone’s right to protest, those protests must not include the burning or defacing of the American Flag.
“As Americans, we must all come together and work shoulder-to-shoulder to improve our nation and our communities,” he said. “There is no place for those who destroy.”
Flag Day was born in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring June 14 as a day to display and honor the Stars and Stripes.
Vicari said the American Flag holds a sacred meaning for him because his late father Hugo was a World War II veteran who fought in the Battle of Bulge.
“When you honor and respect the flag, you are also honoring the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending the freedom the Stars and Stripes represents,” he said.
