The American flag has never looked so beautiful.

It's just a shame the circumstances that have led to the overwhelming increase in its proud display.

I've had a Stars and Stripes decal on my car for three years now, picking it up in California on my cross country trip (see the 1998 archives). When I sold the Volvo, I moved the flag to the Grand Am, where it now adheres to the rear right window (the rear left contains the interlocking ND). But driving around New Jersey now -- and the rest of America's small towns and thriving cities -- you see flags everywhere. Full-sized banners flapping from the beds of pickup trucks; tiny cloth flags attached to radio antennae; ribbons and bunting draped on bumpers and grills and fenders; stickers in the windows, posters on rear windshields.

Sales of Old Glory have increased exponentially. In my drives around town and to and from work, I've noticed our star-spangled banner flying from one out of every three houses -- at least. The coaching staff of a high school football team I covered today wore red, white and blue ribbons. Stores flew extra flags and people have been wearing red, white and blue clothing or t-shirts with flags on them -- even if they serve the dual purpose of advertising for Old Navy or Lands End. My blue polo shirt today bears an old American flag -- 13 stars in a circle -- on the left breast.

I've always loved our American colors. Red, white and blue have always been the primary colors to me; not the red, white and yellow we were taught in art class during the painting unit. And although I used to think the simple stars in a blue field and red and white stripes design was simple and not flashy, I've come to appreciate the symbolism inherent in the layout: 50 stars, one for each state; 13 stripes, one for each colony; and the colors, no matter whether or not they were chosen to mean anything (look here for reference), have become something. A symbol of our country.

I'm proud to see the flag flying so adamantly. I look forward to seeing it on the uniforms of every major league baseball team on Monday, and every major league baseball. I'm happy to see MTV's logo feature an "M" with the flag design inside and altering its programming to help teach a generation of Americans who otherwise might not understand what our country's freedom means just what being an American entails.