Belief | A Flag for American Hostages

1 basic, still potent, way to further provoke the general public and our leaders into motion? An official flag.

With an Act of Congress, a new banner could be flown under the Stars and Stripes on authorities buildings — from publish workplaces throughout the place to embassies close to the world. The flag would serve as a nationwide assure to the family members of hostages and wrongfully detained People in america that the United States is carrying out anything in its energy to get them back. It also would unfold awareness of the countrywide crisis this situation has swiftly come to be, hopefully major to more stress on the federal government to act — and supply — on that guarantee.

Immediately after a prolonged structure system, the family members of existing and former hostages and the corporations that help them have assisted create this sort of a flag.

There are 5 principal features to the flag. To start with, the flag’s title, “Hostages and Wrongful Detainees,” which complies with the recognized language of The Levinson Act. Next, the counting-days symbol, which emphasizes the central attribute of their battle: Every single day that passes is a different day that hostage families are robbed of being entire. 3rd, a few human profiles, which characterize the hostage’s personal struggle and displays our nation’s range. Fourth, the motto “Bring Them Property,” which is a contact to action. Fifth, the flag’s yellow and black colours, which hearken to the tradition of using yellow ribbons to bear in mind our captives and the darkness of their cells, dungeons and caves.

There is a sturdy precedent for the hostage families’ effort and hard work. In 1970, a team of family members of Prisoners of War (POWs) and all those Missing in Action (MIAs) fought to convey recognition to their liked ones’ struggling by creating the National League of Households POW/MIA flag, as the “symbol of our Nation’s problem and determination to resolving as totally as attainable the fates of People in america however prisoner, lacking, and unaccounted for. ...”

The POW/MIA flag is flown in excess of the White Property, in Congress and all fashion of federal structures. Viewing this flag reminds every American of the constant fight of these family members to deliver their loved types house and of our gratitude to their sacrifice. The flag also was a effective ingredient in the push to deliver dwelling all American POWs at the finish of the Vietnam War.

Nowadays, in accordance to the James W. Foley Legacy Basis, there are at the very least 67 People wrongfully held overseas. They are captive due to the fact of the perception that American citizens can be swapped for imprisoned comrades, ransomed to finance malign pursuits or applied to leverage United States officers to improve authorities policy. But whatsoever the explanation, it signifies 67 family members have experienced their lives suspended. They are in anguish and pain as they contemplate the condition of their liked ones every single day.

Washington has lately gotten considerably additional serious in tackling this disaster. President Barack Obama founded the Exclusive Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs business in 2015. President Donald Trump signed the Levinson Act into law in 2020. Just a couple weeks back, President Joe Biden issued an executive purchase aimed at protecting against the using of much more Individuals. Bringing our hostages and wrongful detainees dwelling is a nonpartisan national priority. But much more can be carried out.

It would be suitable in the exact laws to declare a Countrywide Working day of Awareness for Hostage Getting and Wrongful Detention.

Currently being taken hostage because we are American can happen to any of us, and, unfortunately, it is taking place much too typically all-around the world. Like our beloved POWs and MIAs, the hostages and wrongful detainees are entitled to an formal flag to remind the American folks that they are getting robbed of their freedom exclusively simply because they have a blue passport emblazoned with our nation’s seal. Permit us display our commitment to our fellow citizens in these types of dire situation and make obvious that bringing our American captives household is a national precedence.