The pledge was originally written by Colonel George Balch in 1887 and revised by ordained Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy in 1892. They only first began doing it sparsely for political reasons, during the Bush–Dukakis presidential campaign in 1988. Congress has only been reciting the pledge of allegiance in the House for 25 years.
The pledge of allegiance has always been recited in congress.įalse.
#ILLEGAL TO BURN GAY FLAG FULL#
To get the full legend, read our article The Betsy Ross Controversy: What Everybody Ought to Know.ģ. While some believe that the story behind the Betsy Ross Flag is true, others say that the story didn’t appear until her grandson, William Canby popularized the legend in the late 1800s. The truth is that many regard Betsy Ross’ role in making the first American flag as nothing more than a myth. Today, while tourists enjoy the $5 tour and gift shop at the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia, many aren't aware of the lack of historical evidence for the classic story they know so well. Most American Legion Posts regularly conduct a dignified flag burning ceremony, often on Flag Day, June 14th.Ģ. Typically, when a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. The First Amendment states it's unconstitutional for a government (whether federal, state, or local) to prohibit the desecration of a flag because it's seen as "symbolic speech." Burning the American Flag is a type of flag desecration (the act of publically, intentionally destroying, damaging, or mutilating the American flag), but it’s not illegal.įor many years, it was illegal to burn or desecrate the American flag, but on June 11, 1990, the Supreme Court declared that laws against desecrating the flag were unconstitutional. It’s illegal to burn the American Flag.įalse. Is it actually illegal to burn the American Flag? Did Betsy Ross honestly make the first American Flag? Do you have to destroy the American Flag when it touches the ground? In this article, we’ll address the five most common myths about the American Flag.ġ.