Joe Manchin: “as do all West Virginians, I feel a special surge of emotion every time I see the American flag. After all, Old Glory is…”

“as do all West Virginians, I feel a special surge of emotion every time I see the American flag. After all, Old Glory is the most enduring symbol of our country, representing the unity of our people and the cause of liberty and justice for all. But the Star Spangled Banner is also the most recognized symbol of freedom wherever it flies in the world, a powerful inspiration to people everywhere who are ``yearning to breathe free,'' as it is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. Every day, Americans all across this great land pledge their allegiance to the flag of the United States. We salute it; we fight for it; we cherish it; we honor it. But one day a year, we pay special honor to our flag. We set aside every June 14th as Flag Day, commemorating the date in 1777 when the Continental Congress officially made the Stars and Stripes the symbol of America. Tomorrow, my office is planning special events in West Virginia commemorating Flag Day. Members of my staff will be presenting American flags to selected organizations all across the State that have requested flags: To veterans in Logan at the ``Spirit of the Doughboy'' statue, which honors the victorious American soldiers of World War One. To the Veterans Museum of Mid-Ohio Valley in Parkersburg, which pays tribute to West Virginians who have fought to preserve this country's freedom.…”