Viral Photo of High Schoolers at Football Game Shows What the Anthem Is Really About
Something is happening in America. And I don’t know if it’s an equal and opposite reaction to so many leftist factions protesting the flag or if it’s just a resurgence of respect. But it seems to be growing and it’s very prevalent in our youth.
American kids are honoring symbols of our country, and they are doing it on their own, without being coached, prodded or pushed.
This latest display was stumbled upon by an unsuspecting bystander on his way to a football game at Bullock Creek high school in Midland, Michigan.
On September 21, Mike Ullery Jr. was on his way to the high school football game when he saw an amazing sight.
As the national anthem blared over the loud speakers, four teenage boys stopped and placed their right hands over their hearts to honor the national anthem — right there in the middle of the high school parking lot.
CBS News reported Ullery’s amazement at the event: “As the anthem began to blare, the teens showed their respect for the song and took their hats off to salute the flag. Ullery was surprised by their patriotism and decided to take a photo of the young men.”
He shared the photo with this caption on his Facebook page, where it proceeded to go viral.
“I was impressed by these Bullock Creek boys. Running late to the game they heard the national anthem and stopped, took off their hats and placed hands over heart. Respect.”
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=272033726969849&id=100024896716837
At the time of this article’s publication, the photo had received 2000 likes and 3000 shares.
While Ullery didn’t speak to the boys at the event, they were later identified as Dakota Lehner, Mikiah Lehner, Taylor Cox and Collin Hitchingham. Several Bullock Creek parents helped identify the patriot teens from the social media post.
“I was just proud of them, so I just snapped a picture and hoped it would get back to them when I posted it on Facebook,” Ullery said to CBS News.
Commenters on his post also agreed with Ullery and thought the boys were fine young patriots with wonderful parents, “impressive” and “great kids.”
Well, I would have to agree. Former NCAA basketball champ and former head basketball coach at UCLA and Indiana University John Wooden said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” And these boys didn’t know anyone was watching.
We’ve published other such accounts of respect and patriotism in the recent past. I’m hoping it is more than a trend and instead is becoming a standard in the culture from our youth.
Earlier in September, three elementary school boys in Hayden, Idaho, showed all of their classmates — and maybe even some of the grown ups — just how to respect the flag when retiring her for the night. Everyday after school these boys retire the colors, making certain they never touch the ground. They are an inspiring bunch.
And in August, when a 10 year old boy got out of a wheel chair to stand during the national anthem, it was worthy of a news report.
I like what I’m seeing here. There is so much disrespect toward our nation, our flag, and our laws — most of it by adults. When the youth of our country remind us what priorities are important, it gives me hope.
I’ll bet these high school boys never thought they would be the subjects of national news when they made the split-second decision to stand for the anthem that day.
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