What the hell does this mean? Big deal? I don't think there is a big deal, we are just proud of it, it is a symbol of our country like any other flag.

It provides rational(ish) explanation for irrational feeling.

whats the big deal with any flag? as an american living in chicago, i see more polish and mexican flags than anything, i like this place, and my flag is a symbol of it...no big deal really

Maybe you should ask that to all the peaple who have fought for the right to be able to ask this question

It is just an object that has been taken way too seriously . It's a piece of cloth for petes sake.

The flag is a symbol of the country. Pledging alleigance to the flag is pledging your allegiance to what the country stands for. The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 U.S. states and the 13 stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies that rebelled against the British crown and became the first states in the Union. Because of its symbolism, the starred blue canton is called the "union". The United States flag is among the nation's widely recognized and used symbols. Within the U.S. it is frequently displayed, not only on public buildings, but on private residences, as well as iconically in forms such as decals for car windows, and clothing ornaments such as badges and lapel pins. Throughout the world it is used in public discourse to refer to the U.S., both as a nation state, government, and set of policies, but also as an ideology and set of ideals. Many understand the flag to represent the freedoms and rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights and perhaps most of all to be a symbol of individual and personal liberty as set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Through the Pledge of Allegiance and other political uses the flag has also come to be associated with U.S. nationalism, patriotism, and even militarism. The flag is a complex and contentious symbol, around which emotions run high. In terms of the symbolism of the design itself, a book about the flag published by the Congress in 1977 states: "The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun." George Washington is credited for saying: "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty." Many people also take the red and white to stand for the blood of those who gave their lives for freedom, and the presumed purity of the freedom ideal, respectively. Most of this was copied from Wikipedia.

http://www.inspire21.com/site/ecards/pledge_Under_God.html I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America and to the Republic For which it stands One Nation, Under God indivisible with liberty and Justice for all the "big deal is" we pledge alligance to it all our life"

well people , especially large groups, need something to keep them focused on the same idea to some its the queen. to some its god. some its patriotism. we chose patriotism and thats our symble

A flag, IMO, is a visual record of YOUR country. I am an english man living in Norway and there is not a person here that would stop me from flying the st. georges cross/union flag! And if anyone tried to burn it/stamp on it ect I would take that as an offense to my country and to me personally! I love the way the americans fly their flag with pride, the norwegians do the same and over the past few years so have the english! It is a mark of pride! Everyone should respect a persons flag even if it is not their own.

the flag is a symbol - thats all - some ppl are more patriotic than others - in America i thinks its cool that you can fly any freakin flag you want and say anything you want - thats what its all about - and i can agree or disagree with what ever you say or do and i wont be thrown in jail or killed - thats what its all about - the flag represents our freedom

if its not a Big Deal, why do Other Countries make A Big deal out of defacing it or burning it ?