Flag pin survived all the tough times and years of neglect

  • Jonetta Rose Coffin / Herald Writer
  • Saturday, November 10, 2001 9:00pm
  • Life

By Jonetta Rose Coffin

Herald Writer

The little flag pin has seen a lot of history, though most of it has been from the inside of a jewelry box.

It came into my family as a gift to my mother in the early 1960s. She was the secretary for a branch of the John Birch Society in southern California, and the pin was given to her by the branch president as a thank you for her volunteer work.

Related stories:

  • Tales of Glory
  • Readers express love of flag and America
  • Flag pin survived all the tough times and years of neglect

  • There was nothing spectacular about it — just a little bit of red, white and blue enamel on gold — but to the eyes of an 8-year-old it was way cool, and I wanted to wear it.

    It was off limits to me, though, because Mother wore it constantly and proudly. In fact, only when dressed up for an evening of dancing would she leave the house without it.

    She was wearing it on Nov. 22, 1963, the day President Kennedy died, but shortly after that, she took a new job, and we moved to a different city. Her days with the John Birch Society ended, and the little pin was tucked away in her jewelry box.

    Mother probably would have let me wear it after that, but by then I no longer considered it cool. The Beatles had landed and the Union Jack was more in vogue. And besides, the little flag had become tainted, rightly or wrongly, by reactions to the war in Vietnam.

    It passed the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy in 1968 inside Mother’s jewel case, but when she died in August of that year, it took up residence in my own.

    For the next 33 years it rested in the dark with an odd assortment of bedfellows: a gold peace symbol pendant, a Russian Orthodox cross, an engagement ring carved out of wood.

    It traveled from southern California to northwestern Washington during those years, and saw the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and resignation of Richard Nixon, the Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton years — and all the other world events and personal memories in between — pass into history.

    More than once the little pin narrowly escaped going the way of garage sales and Goodwill donations, but for some reason I could never quite bring myself to part with it.

    On Sept. 11 of this year, I was glad not to have given it away, and suddenly it became very important to bring the little flag back into the light.

    After a couple hours of searching through dusty boxes buried in the closet — while in the background the television grimly recounted the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon — I found the old jewelry box, with the small piece of metal and enamel safely tucked away inside.

    I’m not sure why, exactly, the little flag means so much to me now. My political philosophy hasn’t changed dramatically overnight, and the thought of retaliation for the attacks, however justified and necessary, still makes me sad because of the pain and suffering it will bring.

    But in questioning the pin’s importance I keep coming back to the words of a good friend; words that remind me how much I have often taken for granted.

    More than once he has remarked that, "If you were born in this country, you’ve already won the lottery."

    He’s right, and in his words I find my answer.

    Talk to us

    > Give us your news tips.

    > Send us a letter to the editor.

    > More Herald contact information.

    More in Life

    Everett P. Fog, 15, in front of an Everett mural along Colby Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
    Hello, Everett! No escape when your name is same as the town

    Everett P. Fog, 15, sees and hears his first name wherever he goes. His middle name is also epic.

    Jared Meads takes a breath after dunking in an ice bath in his back yard while his son Fallen, 5, reads off the water temperature on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
    Chill out: Dive into the cold plunge craze

    Plungers say they get mental clarity and relief for ails in icy water in tubs, troughs and clubs.

    Schack exhibit to highlight Camano Island watercolorists

    “Four Decades of Friendship: John Ebner & John Ringen” will be on display Jan. 16 through Feb. 9.

    XRT Trim Adds Rugged Features Designed For Light Off-Roading
    Hyundai Introduces Smarter, More Capable Tucson Compact SUV For 2025

    Innovative New Convenience And Safety Features Add Value

    Sequoia photo provided by Toyota USA Newsroom
    If Big Is Better, 2024 Toyota Sequoia Is Best

    4WD Pro Hybrid With 3-Rows Elevates Full-Size

    2025 Toyota Land Cruiser (Provided by Toyota).
    2025 Toyota Land Cruiser revives its roots

    After a 3-year hiatus, the go-anywhere SUV returns with a more adventurous vibe.

    Enjoy the wilderness in the CX-50. Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
    2025 Mazda CX-50 Adds Hybrid Capability to Turbo Options

    Line-Up Receives More Robust List Of Standard Equipment

    Practical And Functional bZ4X basks in sunshine. Photo provided by Toyota Newsroom.
    2024 bZ4X Puts Toyota Twist On All-Electric SUV’s

    Modern Styling, Tech & All-Wheel Drive Highlight

    Photo provided by Mazda USA Newsroom
    2025 Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus Hatch Delivers Value

    Plus Functionality of AWD And G-Vectoring

    2025 Mazda CX-90 Turbo SUV (Provided by Mazda)
    2025 CX-90 Turbo models get Mazda’s most powerful engine

    Mazda’s largest-ever SUV is equipped to handle the weight, with fuel efficiency kept in check.

    Provided by Bridges Pets, Gifts, & Water Gardens.
    Discover where to find the best pet supplies in town

    Need the perfect store to spoil your furry friends? Herald readers have you covered.

    VW Jetta SEL is a sedan that passes for a coupe. Photo provided by Volkswagen U.S. Media.
    2025 VW Jetta Offers Greater Refinement, Technology And Value

    A Perfect Choice For Small Families And Commuters

    Support local journalism

    If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.