There is an interesting story my father told me while he was stationed at the barracks in Wichita, Texas, in 1945.
A soldier was called forth to the captain’s office. Upon entering, the soldier refused to salute the captain. The soldier was white and the captain was black.
While the soldier remained standing, the captain pulled his chair from around his desk, and placed it in front of the soldier. The captain then took off his jacket and put it over the back of the chair.
The captain told the soldier that if he didn’t respect him, respect the uniform. The captain ordered the soldier to salute the jacket on the chair, and had him keep saluting the uniform many times.
The captain said that, “Like me or not, you are not saluting me, but you are saluting a captain of the United States Army.”
This is to say that no matter who is wearing the clothing, show due respect to the uniform.
This is also true for our current commander in chief, President Trump, who also deserves the same respect for the Office of the President.
Like the iconic image of Uncle Sam pointing the finger at us, all Americans, he wants us to “Flaunt respect, not hate.”
AL Ulus
Somerton
