By REP. CATHY TILTON
In a time of rapid change and fierce division, the American flag still flies — steady, unshaken, and resolute. It is more than cloth and color; it is the embodiment of who we are, what we’ve overcome, and what we still strive to become. The flag doesn’t demand blind loyalty — it calls us to remember the sacrifice, the unity, and the spirit that have defined this country since its birth.
Each star and stripe bears witness to our collective journey. It tells the story of patriots who defied an empire, of brave men and women who stormed beaches and marched on bridges, of generations who bled, believed, and built. From the fields of Gettysburg to the sands of Iwo Jima, from the steps of Selma to the towers of September 11, the flag has been there, not as a bystander, but as a beacon. To honor the flag is to honor every American who gave part of themselves to the cause of liberty. Dismissing it as “just a symbol” is to forget the blood, courage, and conviction sewn into every thread.
Yet the power of the flag is not only in our past; it lies in its ability to unite us today. In a nation of over 300 million voices, backgrounds, and beliefs, it stands as a rare common ground. It waves over cities and farms, courthouses and schoolyards, in moments of celebration and grief. When we salute it or place a hand over our hearts, we are not erasing our differences — we are choosing to rise above them. We are choosing to affirm a shared promise: that we are still one nation, indivisible, committed to liberty and justice for all.
Yes, this nation is imperfect. But the flag does not celebrate perfection as much as it calls us to pursue it. It reminds us that democracy is never finished, that freedom is never free, and that every voice matters, even the ones raised in protest. That’s the beauty of our republic: The flag protects the very rights that allow us to question it. Its strength is not in silence, but in the freedoms it represents.
In communities like ours, where neighbors still look out for each other and where values run deep, honoring the flag isn’t about politics — it’s about pride. It’s about teaching our children that gratitude matters, that freedom is fragile, and that we all have a role in keeping the American promise alive. When we raise that flag, we’re not just honoring the past; we’re investing in the future.
As our country faces new challenges and choices, the American flag still waves. Unbowed, unmistakable, and undiminished. Let’s honor it not out of duty, but out of conviction. Let’s stand for it not because we’re told to, but because it reminds us of everything we hold dear.
In that simple gesture lies a powerful truth: For all our faults, this country is still worth believing in. And so is its flag. God bless the United States of America!
Rep. Cathy Tilton serves in the Alaska Legislature.
Thank you for your service to the Valley Community!
“ In a time of rapid change and fierce division”
How much is due to the NEA.
Public schools it just to prime the pump for those destined to a university
“Yes, this nation is imperfect. But the flag does not celebrate perfection as much as it calls us to pursue it.”
Too many today have strayed from the hard path of liberty and wandered into the illusion of safety, a safety that demands silence, obedience, and the slow surrender of our sovereignty. That kind of safety does not secure freedom. It replaces it with the cold chains of dependency. But the flag, the Stars and Stripes, calls us to something higher. It is not a relic. It is a summons. A reminder that liberty is never fully won and always worth fighting for—not just for ourselves, but for the generations we will never meet. What we do today must matter not only in this year, but in a hundred years. Our flag represents more than a nation. It embodies an eternal tension, a sacred duty, to reconcile our past with our present so that the future may remain free. It asks us, every time it waves, whether we will rise to that challenge or shrink from it. So we ask ourselves: Will we stand in loyalty to the flag and the Republic for which it stands? Or will we equivocate, compromise, and consign our children to a lesser inheritance? The answer is found not in our words, but in our willingness to act, to sacrifice, and to believe, without apology, that America is still worth everything. Because the flag does not promise ease. It demands courage.
Rep. Tilton stands out not for headline-grabbing bills or her time as Speaker of a divided House, but for her steady commitment to good governance. She works across political lines without hostility and isn’t afraid to challenge allies when integrity is at stake. Her recent reflection on the American flag speaks to her character—patriotic without being divisive.
I, for one, will be protesting this weekend—flagpole in hand, the stars and stripes waving proudly. I protest the growing reach of the federal government into state authority and individual rights—overreach that didn’t begin with this president, but has accelerated under his watch. I protest the suppression of free speech—once driven by the left, now mirrored by the right.
God bless America—our Constitution, and the great State of Alaska. May we each celebrate this weekend in our own way—safely and proudly—with open minds and open hearts toward all who are blessed to be here.
Remember Leviticus 19:34 and Isaiah 10:1–2.
The responsibility starts with us. We must be the mature ones in the argument so we can be rational in our actions. America was formed because people want to have laws and an opportunity to pursue happiness. It’s not a guarantee that everyone succeeds but they have the opportunity to make a choice. The education system is flawed but it all starts at home. Build a strong family with good morales and values and don’t become a victim. Educate your kids yourself and give them a chance. Arm yourselves with facts and knowledge and learn the wisdom to justify the truth. Stand for what you believe in and fly the flag with honor. disrespect the flag is disrespecting the country and the people who are legally here.
I’m a US Army veteran and I believe in America, don’t let it fail because of poor morales and identities.
Just curious, is it proper care of the flag to drive down the highway at 65 mph with it getting shredded over time? That along with a confederate flag and don’t tread on me sticker?
Good point. You should probably melt down and throw a hissy-fit.
I’m a Democrat and I fly two of these on my property every day. As much as MAGA tries to own the flag and by flouting it, thereby insinuate that Dems are unpatriotic, they will never succeed.
I fly it because it stands for freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom to criticize one’s government, the right to vote, the right to a religion of one’s choice or none at all, the right to select one’s own representatives through fair and free voting, the right of habeas corpus, freedom of the press, the rule of law, and many, many other things.
The America I’m proud of is the one that freed Europe of Nazi rule, that liberated Paris, that provides help to the poorest via USAID, that aids and supports its allies, that respects borders, that brokers peace all over the world, that is instrumental in curing the world’s diseases and spreading the cures, that spends on basic research to advance scientific discoveries that drive the economic engine, that promotes democracy around the world and helps to rid it of autocracy, and that does countless other things to improve the state of mankind.
But right now, I can’t say that I’m as proud. We abandon and threaten allies, we threaten to take over and annex other countries, we start meaningless tariff wars, we have government leaders who act like thugs and adolescent teenagers, we hunt down immigrants as if they were dogs and then cage them in the same way, we break up families, and we are increasingly hateful and cruel towards each other because of our politics.
So am I proud of being an American? For our past good works 100%, but for lots of what the current Administration is doing, I’m most definitely ashamed. I’m pretty sure that now wherever I travel in the world, I’ll get the big middle finger. Thanks Trump. You’re the Great Divider, and you’re nothing but trouble.