Letter to the editor—”There is perhaps no greater symbol of patriotism in the United States than the American flag”

To the editor:

I write in response to Laurel Meyer’s letter to the editor dated October 29, 2024, regarding the new replacement American flag on the Wellesley Square flagpole.

Ms. Meyers—as a veteran of the Vietnam War era and a lifelong Wellesley resident, I am pleased that you noticed the presence of the new properly sized American flag in Wellesley Square. It is one of among many new American flags that have been mounted throughout the Town of Wellesley to replace older flags that suffered from weather deterioration. Notably, the replacement flags are of the correct size. These flags have been mounted in advance of Veterans Day, a national holiday that honors all the men and women who have served in the United States military.

There is perhaps no greater symbol of patriotism in the United States than the American flag. We pledge our allegiance to it at school, government meetings, and citizenship ceremonies. We wave the symbol of freedom and liberty at parades and sporting events. We even planted it on the moon.

The American flag represents the people, values, and ideals that servicemen and women are defending in America and throughout the world.

To suggest that flying the American flag in the Town of Wellesley is associated with a subset of voters is misguided and condescending. It disrespects those in Wellesley and across America who have served our nation honorably as well as the tens of thousands who have paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives.

I hope that you will consider mounting an American flag at your home to show your love and appreciation for all those who believe in the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy today as Americans.

God bless America!

Sincerely,

S. Peter W. Jones
Sergeant, United States Marine Corps
Wellesley, MA