SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Every morning, Miguel Paredes unfurls the flag outside his Oak Park home.
"We believe it's just another way to honor our amazing country we have here," Paredes said.
In Lincoln Park, the colors always wave in front of the Bells' house.
"Every day it's for the United States of America and it's for the military as well," a resident said.
In Point Loma, Caylee Leonard displays old glory daily.
"It's kind of a symbol of neighborhood pride as well as city pride and country pride," Leonard said.
After 9/11, flags flew everywhere. Americans showed their true colors. A decade ago, fueled by jealousy and blinded by hatred, cowards attempted to tear apart the very fabric of our lives, fabric that is inherently woven into the stars and stripes. But Americans closed ranks, we mourned, we comforted and we healed. We raised our flags.
Just like Patty Holman does every day.
"To remember that we have young men and women overseas protecting our interests and protecting our country," Holman said.
After 9/11, the end of innocence awash in a wave of patriotism. We were once again committed to our country. We gathered at memorials. We sang at sporting events. We vowed to never forget. But that was then and now is now.
Beset by economic woes, we are a nation divided, an angry land of finger pointers and finger givers. We are worn down, fed up, feeling helpless and at times hopeless. It must seem like a small victory for those forces of evil who continue to attempt to splitter us through fear. We need a renewal of faith,
The kind of faith in America Jerri Morris displays 365 days a year.
"Because I love my country," she said.
Dissention is our right. Disagreement is healthy. Compromise is better. Separation only weakens us. And anger and hatred only sink us to our enemy's level.
Like Matt Rhodes' flag, we need to rise above petty politics and fractional fervor, in a renewed spirit of pride and patriotism. Like we did a decade ago.
