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(Editor’s note: This letter was originally addressed to then-U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman in 1996 and recently submitted to The News as a letter to the editor.)

Our flag is a symbol of the majesty of a great nation. It serves as a beacon of hope to all.

It represents the strength and values of the highest traditions of this country. It signifies the pride we have in this country and our resolve that our actions will bring honor to this banner.

It represents the aspirations of its people. It embodies the faith in the American tradition that we have worked for.

May our flag continue to strike a responsive cord in the hearts of free men everywhere. Long may it wave over the land of the free and home of the brave.

— Tom Dunlop, Port Arthur