This flag is not a symbol of power and prosperity—

although these often come to those who honor what Old Glory represents. It is a symbol of the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and of personal freedom to achieve personal greatness. This freedom is a sacred gift— granted by God, secured by the constitution, protected by the men and women of the armed forces, and preserved by all people everywhere who exercise their own freedom and respect the freedoms of others. As a symbol of freedom, this flag is an inheritance from the brave who have gone before us, and a legacy to the hopeful who will come after. As the chest would have been used in the days of America’s noble founders, let it hereby protect the priceless symbol of our liberty, and guarantee the happiness and peace that freedom always brings.