By Thomas Sellers Jr.
USAF photo by Airman 1st Class Tracie Forte
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbird Aerial Demonstration Team’s F-16 Fighting Falcons fly over the base flagpole during their demonstration in the Desert Air Show at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., on March 21, 2009.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia by the United States of America. Starting off with 13 colonies along the Atlantic Ocean, the world power expanded over the next 200 years as far as Hawaii and Alaska.
Now 50 states strong and with various territories around the world, the United States is the symbol of strength and greatness across the world.
If we’re honest, the U.S.A. also has its share of negative recognition and well-deserved stereotypes. Despite our shortcomings, we’re still the land of opportunity, capitalism and basic freedoms.
Through the good and the bad, the United States has persevered to be a world leader in politics, industry, education, medicine and sports.
The U.S. is so amazing and creative that we celebrate real and fictional heroes. We can share stories about the greatness of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Jefferson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Muhammad Ali, Bob Hope, Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey and Ronald Reagan, just to name a few.
In the next breath, we can brag about characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, Hulk Hogan, Erica Kane, G.I. Joe and Rocky Balboa.
So as you grab a plate of barbecue and before the fireworks are blasted into the dark sky, enjoy this Best Sellers’ List spotlighting the 10 greatest symbols of America.
Here are some honorable mentions: Golden Gate Bridge, Gateway Arch, George Washington, guns, cheese, burgers, fireworks, Abraham Lincoln, Western cowboyss, YouTube, iPhone, rap music, rock and roll music, baseball, the New York Yankees, the car industry and apple pie.
10. Obesity
I’m only going to place one negative thing on this countdown. The reason why I am placing obesity on this list is because America is the fattest country in the world.
Nearly 40 percent of U.S. Americans 15 and older are considered obese. And the great city of Memphis is ranked third in the nation behind McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, and Shreveport, La., for the fattiest in the Union.
We love to eat in America. Most of our major holidays have a food-based celebration element. Like today I will grab a plate of ribs, smoked sausage, chicken and burgers off the grill.
Our obesity is a result of our greatness, need for instant gratification and indulgence. We have eating contests like the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island today. While several countries throughout the world starve, we will award a championship belt to the person (most likely Joey Chestnut) for eating a bunch of wieners.
9. Hollywood sign
For better or worse, one of the things that quickly identify the United States is the movie industry. Hollywood has given us so many “role models” like John Wayne, James Bond and Bryan Mills.
Hours of entertainment came from just two years in Hollywood, 1939 and 1994. All that history has a symbol located on Mount Lee in Los Angeles, Calif. The Hollywood sign is an American landmark and is just as iconic as several actors who have played through the town.
The 45-foot letters simply spell out the word “HOLLYWOOD.” It is a mecca for those who want to make it big in entertainment. So many men and women have succeeded with the sign in the backdrop, giving us countless stars.
The sign was originally created in 1923 as an advertisement for a local real estate development, but due to increasing recognition, the sign was left up. Now the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce holds trademark rights to the Hollywood sign.
8. The bald eagle
I think I might have seen a bald eagle in person. Maybe.
One thing I am sure of is that the bird of prey is the official bird of the United States. The image of the bird illustrates power, keen senses and grace. America displays those characteristics when America is at its best.
With a seven-foot wingspan, two-tone feathers, golden beak and laser eyes, the bald eagle is to be respected. Throughout this country’s entire history, the eagle has been vital.
With the natives, the eagle was a spiritual messenger between the gods and humans. Then the bald eagle became the national bird of the United States of America. On June 20, 1782, the Continental Congress adopted the design for the Great Seal of the United States, depicting a bald eagle grasping 13 arrows and an olive branch with 13 leaves with its talons.
7. Mount Rushmore
Some refer to the northern part of the United States as “God’s country.” Majestic winters, bold summer landscapes and picture-perfect mountains, the North is still not a destination area for most U.S. Americans.
But there is one place true U.S. Americans want to visit for their bucket list – Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the Black Hills region of South Dakota, featuring four iconic U.S. presidents. From left, the landmark is home for George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. It was completed in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln. The sculptures of the four men’s faces is about 60 feet high and made of granite. The site also features a museum with interactive exhibits teaching about the men’s impact on our nation.
6. Liberty Bell
Our Nation’s first capital was in Philadelphia. Then it stopped by New York City before heading off to Washington, D.C.
New York City was left with financial symbols of American power and the Empire State Building. And in Philadelphia, the first symbol of Americana that comes to mind is the Liberty Bell.
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence. Once placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (a.k.a. Independence Hall), the bell today is located in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park.
The bell was commissioned in 1752 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly from the London firm of Lester and Pack to proclaim liberty.
Now an iconic part of the bell and part of its lore is the crack. The bell first cracked when rung after its arrival in Philadelphia. After being repaired a couple of times, the bell was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens about public meetings and proclamations.
Legend says the bell didn’t ring on July 4, 1776. But it is believed the large crack it sports today came sometime in the 19th century, maybe after the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835.
5. Football
America’s pastime is baseball, but the country’s current passion is on the gridiron. For more than 100 years, U.S. Americans have packed out stadiums with as many as 110,000 to watch the game.
Friday nights are for high school players. Saturdays are reserved for the collegiate warriors, and the professionals take over on Sundays in the fall. From Canton, Ohio, to South Bend, Ind., many people make pilgrimages to celebrate the game’s history.
The history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football around 1892. Now we have the Super Bowl.
To pinpoint how important the American version of football is to our country, Super Bowl LIII has one of the lowest ratings in 10 years at just 98.2 million viewers. Other sports would tackle a granny for “low” ratings like that.
4. Uncle Sam
If you have voted, obtained a driver’s license or paid taxes, you know our nation’s uncle. Some say Samuel Wilson is Uncle Sam. But the elderly white man with the patriotic top hat and white beard is undeniably the symbol of our government.
There is a debate on whether Troy, N.Y., businessman Wilson inspired the iconic symbol of America. The man pointing at us in the picture has a rich history.
The first reference to Uncle Sam came through newspapers in the 1816 allegorical book “The Adventures of Uncle Sam, in Search After His Lost Honor” by Frederick Augustus Fidfaddy. Some historians thank Uncle Sam dates by to the American Revolutionary War in the song “Yankee Doodle.”
Now Uncle Sam is a metaphor for the United States to celebrate the military and its efforts from generation to generation.
The greatest military force in the world doesn’t need much motivation to protect freedoms and keep democracy safe across the world. But Uncle Sam is a reminder that the best of the best take on that challenge. It takes a courageous person to answer the call of “I want you.”
3. Washington D.C.
After Philly and NYC were our nation’s capital, the Founding Fathers settled on a piece of land between Virginia and Maryland. On July 16, 1790, Washington, D.C., became the official home of America.
A visit to D.C. should be on every U.S. American’s to-do list. We all should visit the White House, the Capitol and the Washington Monument. In addition to those three landmarks, the city is full of history and current developments that shape the course of our everyday lives. So thank you, Congress, for declaring the city of Washington in the District of Columbia as the permanent capital of the United States 229 years ago.
2. Statue of Liberty
One of the most powerful images of Americana came from the French. The Statue of Liberty means so many different things to so many different people.
She is the ideal symbol of established freedom to those born here. And for people who made the trip to America via Ellis Island so many generations ago, the Statue of Liberty was symbolic of freedom to be obtained.
“Liberty Enlightening the World” now calls Liberty Island in New York Harbor home. Arriving here in her full copper glory, the Statue of Liberty has been washed by the elements into her current green state. She was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and her metal framework was built by Gustave Eiffel. The statue was dedicated on Oct. 28, 1886.
She holds a torch above her head with her right hand, and in her left hand carries a tabula ansata inscribed in Roman numerals with “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI.”
1. Stars and Stripes
The most beautiful symbol of our country is the American flag. At the Olympics, she is the best looking among all the nations across this planet. Honorable mention goes to Brazil’s flag.
But the design of the Stars and Stripes is bold and simple. Old Glory is just like any other flag in the world — it has meaning behind the design.
The 13 stripes represent the 13 British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. The 50 stars represent each current state in the Union.
Seamstress Betsy Ross is given credit for creating the flag in Philadelphia. It would make sense that she designed the flag because the American flag looks good on a shirt, hat, jacket or blowing in the wind.
Old Glory is an ironic nickname for our Nation’s flag because no matter how old it gets, the Stars and Stripes always has a freshness to it.
THOMAS SELLERS JR. is the editor of The Millington Star and both the sports editor and a weekly personal columnist for West 10 Media/Magic Valley Publishing. Contact him by phone at (901) 433-9138, by fax to (901) 529-7687 and by email to [email protected].
