High on a mountain in Pennsylvania, some people hung a flag to honor a Marine hero. The flag was a way to say that this hero mattered. A way to express untold grief, and immeasurable pride. A way to bid farewell to a friend, a son, a comrade.
The flag was there to honor Lance Corporal Jacob W. Beisel, who was killed in Iraq on March 31st of this year.
It's not there anymore.
From J.W.:
There is an outcrop of rock on the mountain beside the Lackawaxen River. The view from this must be magnificent. Recently a few people in town climbed to the top, rappelled down the side and hung a flag on this rock. After they hung it they played Taps. It was hung there to honor a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin, a friend, a Marine. A Marine that gave his life fighting for that flag.
As it hung it was as a reminder to count your blessings each and every day for no one knows what that day will bring as his family knows all to well. It hung as a symbol of the pride we have in this country even with all it's faults. It hung for Jacob.
It hung....and now it doesn't. Somebody went and took down that flag and not in one piece but by slashing it into pieces.
Now, we see the flag flying in front of Post Offices, schools, fire departments and we think nothing of it. It's there, it has always been there. We salute, pledge etc but most of us never get to feel the flag. And by feel I don't me the silk threads I mean feel, the pride, the love, the fear and the pain. You never give it another thought really unless you have been in the military or been one of the one's waiting at home.
Most people don't know that the red stripes stand for valor and bravery, the blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice and the white is purity and innocence. These are all traits that Jacob held. The person responsible for taking down that flag had none of them.
Did the people that put it up there do it with permission? Probably not- but they didn't do it to be malicious. They did it in pain and grievance and love. The person who took it down did it with malice and hatred. The price of the flag I hear was over $300 but the price of the flag to the family was priceless. And with cutting that flag he ruined more than threads but he probably doesn't care.
So the next time you hear "Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" know that it doesn't in our town anymore.
When trying to obtain permission to post this story, one of the things that I was told was that the family did not want to see Jacob's death and the destruction of the flag to become a political circus - they didn't want to see this exploited for a partisan purpose.
And in the end, this is less about war and anti-war, and more about a lack of respect. Whether or not one agrees with the reasons that Jacob was sent to Iraq, his willingness to serve his country makes him worthy of respect. And his loss is important. His family is worthy of respect. His friends are worthy of respect. And the flag is worthy of respect. For all that this country makes mistakes, for all that this country may do things that its citizens don't agree with at times, it is the one place in the world that holds freedom sacred above all things. And whether or not you agree with the specific occasion, Jacob died serving that country.
And in the end, slashing this flag is less about freedom of expression, and more about incomprehensible disrespect to a fallen hero and his grieving loved ones.
So this post, when all is said and done, is about this:
I am more grateful than words can say for the sacrifices and service of Jacob and all the heroes that are willing to risk all to protect me, and to the families that raise and are raised by such fine heroes, and endure so much.
If you feel the same, please use the comments section of this post, or my email, to pass along your thanks and condolences. I will pass them along. You can also send them here
To learn more about Jacob:
DoD Release
WYOU News (with news about a scholarship in his honor)
Record Online (and here)
WNEP
Thanks to Cyndy for the pictures (posted with permission), and to Debey and Cyndy for their assistance with this post.
UPDATE: Additional Link:
American Heroes' Memorial
(right click image, then "Save as")
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