The American flag is the very fiber of our national being. It is the accumulation of centuries of history, of millions of lives, and of as many individual dreams. The flag is America, what we have been, what we are, and what we will yet become. On June 14, 2000, America will celebrate the flag's 223rd anniversary. As Freemasons, we are proud of our flag and what it symbolizes. Therefore, in addition to your usual and customary Flag Day activities, I urge everyone to take the following action:

1. Promote the use of the following "Flag Day Proclamation" by reprinting it in your local publications and Flag Day programs.
2. Publicize Flag Day celebrations.
3. Encourage both community members and Freemasons to recognize a pause for the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag at 7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time of Wednesday, June 14, 2000.

WHEREAS: The Continental Congress of the United States, on June 14, 1777, adopted the first official Flag of the United States; and

WHEREAS: The Congress of the United States on August 3, 1949, officially designated June 14 of each years as "National Flag Day"; and

WHEREAS: The Congress of the United States on June 20, 1965, adopted a Joint Resolution, approved by the President, to recognize a pause for the Pledge of Allegiance as part of National Flag Day ceremonies and urged all Americans to participate on that day by reciting in unison the Pledge of Allegiance to our Nation's Flag at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time; and
WHEREAS: The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., has always been proud of our National Flag and what it symbolizes, knowing that it stands for the best that humankind has ever sought and achieved in the whole history of this world; and

Now therefore, we, as members of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., proclaim our intention to share actively in this National Flag Day commemoration on June 14, 2000; and be it further proclaimed that we encourage and invite all citizens to join in the common declaration of faith represented in the words of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Note: The above proclamation, directed specifically to Florida's Scottish Rite members, was issued on April 12, 2000, by Illustrious Robert L. Goldsmith, 33°, Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Florida, and is republished here as relevant to all Americans and Scottish Rite Masons.