--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A National Flag is the most sacred thing…" description: "\"A National Flag is the most sacred thing a nation can possess\" — Thomas Francis Meagher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg" --- # A National Flag is the most sacred thing a nation can… ![“A National Flag is the most sacred thing a nation can possess” quote by Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg) > “A National Flag is the most sacred thing a nation can possess” [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nation's flag symbolizes its deepest collective values and identity. **In simple terms:** Flag embodies a nation's sacred identity. Key Takeaway Respect and protect national symbols. Themes nationalism symbolism identity Mood proud serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public ceremonies - education - patriotic events Key Concepts political history civic pride Questions to Reflect On - What does your flag represent to you? - How do symbols unite or divide societies? A Different Perspective Symbols can be politicized or misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag/) [Flag Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag-sacred-3873074/) [Flags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flags/) [Nation Possess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation-possess-3873075/) [National Flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-flag-1029022/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Sacred Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred-thing-643716/) [Sacred things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred-things/) ## Related quotes > [The thing you like/are good at is a sacred thing...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/the-thing-you-like-are-good-at-is-a-sacred-thing/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Marriage is a fine and sacred thing if you make it so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-phelps/marriage-is-a-fine-and-sacred-thing-if-you-make-it-so/) [William Lyon Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-phelps/) > [The clock is the most sacred thing in a hospital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/the-clock-is-the-most-sacred-thing-in-a-hospital/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [There is the National Flag. He must be cold, indeed, who can look upon its folds rippling in the breeze without pride of country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/there-is-the-national-flag-he-must-be-cold-indeed-who-can-look-upon/) [Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/) > [For us the national flag is a rag to be planted on a dunghill. There are only two fatherlands in the world: that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/for-us-the-national-flag-is-a-rag-to-be-planted-on-a-dunghill-there/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [You know what we should do? We should just put flags on everybody. Let's make it the NFFL - the National Flag Football League.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-urlacher/you-know-what-we-should-do-we-should-just-put-flags-on-everybody-let/) [Brian Urlacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-urlacher/) > [In countries like the U.S., the courts have upheld the right to burn the national flag as a mark of protest or expression. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/in-countries-like-the-u-s-the-courts-have-upheld-the-right-to-burn/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [Unquestionably we do stand by our national flag as stoutly as any people in the world; and I myself have felt the heart-throb at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/unquestionably-we-do-stand-by-our-national-flag-as-stoutly-as-any/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Canadians are fond of a good disaster, especially if it has ice, water, or snow in it. You thought the national flag was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/canadians-are-fond-of-a-good-disaster-especially-if-it-has-ice-water/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Why is it that those who want to destroy everything good about their country are the quickest to waive the national flag?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/why-is-it-that-those-who-want-to-destroy-everything-good-about-their/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [Identification with the rag called the national flag is an emotional and sentimental factor and for that factor you are willing to kill another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/identification-with-the-rag-called-the-national-flag-is-an-emotional/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Israel must remove the two blue stripes from its national flag. The stripes on the flag are symbols of occupation. They signify Israel's borders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-al-zahar/israel-must-remove-the-two-blue-stripes-from-its-national-flag-the/) [Mahmoud al-Zahar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-al-zahar/) > [Why was it, Lloyd wondered, that the people who wanted to destroy everything good about their country were the quickest to wave the national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/why-was-it-lloyd-wondered-that-the-people-who-wanted-to-destroy/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [When the wheel was accepted as part of the national flag, it was surely implied that the spinning wheel would hum in every household.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/when-the-wheel-was-accepted-as-part-of-the-national-flag-it-was/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“I will always protect and enhance the dignity of every human life without any bias. I will always remember the importance of time. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srijan-pal-singh/i-will-always-protect-and-enhance-the-dignity-of-every-human-life/) [Srijan Pal Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srijan-pal-singh/) ## More by Thomas Francis Meagher > [The prosperity of a nation requires the protection of a senate. Hereafter a national senate may require the protection of a national army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/the-prosperity-of-a-nation-requires-the-protection-of-a-senate/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [Judged by the law of England, I know this crime entails upon me the penalty of death; but the history of Ireland explains that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/judged-by-the-law-of-england-i-know-this-crime-entails-upon-me-the/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [It is not only our duty to America, but also to Ireland. We could not hope to succeed in our effort to make Ireland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/it-is-not-only-our-duty-to-america-but-also-to-ireland-we-could-not/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [But it so happens, and it will ever happen so, that they who have lived to serve their country - no matter how weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/but-it-so-happens-and-it-will-ever-happen-so-that-they-who-have-lived/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [I have done what I felt to be my duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/i-have-done-what-i-felt-to-be-my-duty/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [The treason of which I stand convicted loses all its guilt, has been sanctified as a duty, and will be ennobled as a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/the-treason-of-which-i-stand-convicted-loses-all-its-guilt-has-been/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [A good government may, indeed, redress the grievances of an injured people; but a strong people can alone build up a great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/a-good-government-may-indeed-redress-the-grievances-of-an-injured/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [The dependence of one people upon another, even for the benefits of legislation, is the deepest source of national weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/the-dependence-of-one-people-upon-another-even-for-the-benefits-of/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [Great interests demand great safeguards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/great-interests-demand-great-safeguards/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [I now bid farewell to the country of my birth - of my passions - of my death; a country whose misfortunes have invoked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/i-now-bid-farewell-to-the-country-of-my-birth-of-my-passions-of-my/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) > [A jury of my countrymen, it is true, have found me guilty of the crime of which I stood indicted. For this I entertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/a-jury-of-my-countrymen-it-is-true-have-found-me-guilty-of-the-crime/) [Thomas Francis Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) [Explore all 12 Thomas Francis Meagher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/) ## More Flag quotes > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [Trump devotees don't care about shrinking the size and scope of government. They don't care about the Constitution. They're not Republicans, except as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/trump-devotees-don-t-care-about-shrinking-the-size-and-scope-of/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [“These days you don't need a country to have a flag, you don't need to win an election to become president, and you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/these-days-you-don-t-need-a-country-to-have-a-flag-you-don-t-need-to/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/we-are-determined-that-before-the-sun-sets-on-this-terrible-struggle/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [South Carolina, as a matter of compromise, displays the Confederate flag on a flagpole in front of the state capitol. Because I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/south-carolina-as-a-matter-of-compromise-displays-the-confederate/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) > [To hold Old Glory, a symbol of freedom and liberty to many around the world, not just in the United States, this one means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-alvarez/to-hold-old-glory-a-symbol-of-freedom-and-liberty-to-many-around-the/) [Eddy Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-alvarez/) > [“...screaming about your rights as an American while rockin' the confederate flag is like arguing against gay marriage with a dick in your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-crowder/screaming-about-your-rights-as-an-american-while-rockin-the/) [Trae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-crowder/) > [Is burning an American flag a disgusting, reprehensible act? Yes, it absolutely is, and I would tell that to the face of absolutely anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/is-burning-an-american-flag-a-disgusting-reprehensible-act-yes-it/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“But not without help from the NASA Technical Services Division. A flag doesn’t fly without wind. The moon has no atmosphere to speak of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-not-without-help-from-the-nasa-technical-services-division-a-flag/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Colin Kaepernick is the latest professional athlete to spark a national debate about the meaning behind the American flag and the national anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/colin-kaepernick-is-the-latest-professional-athlete-to-spark-a/) [Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/) > [The flag represents all the values and the liberties Americans have and enjoy everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shuster/the-flag-represents-all-the-values-and-the-liberties-americans-have/) [Bill Shuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shuster/) > [“A son for a flag is a lot of sacrifice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-elliot/a-son-for-a-flag-is-a-lot-of-sacrifice/) [Tucker Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-elliot/) > [Yeah, I don't think I'm taking my shirt off to play flag football in the park with the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/yeah-i-don-t-think-i-m-taking-my-shirt-off-to-play-flag-football-in/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [ “\[The main road was\] now teeming with people carrying torches, pitchforks, and rakes, and one very confused man who apparently had mistaken the mob… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuthbert-soup/the-main-road-was-now-teeming-with-people-carrying-torches-pitchforks/) [Cuthbert Soup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cuthbert-soup/) [Browse all 618 Flag quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A National Flag is the most sacred thing a nation can possess", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Francis Meagher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing-a-nation-can-possess/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flag" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing-a-nation-can-possess/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c36/thomas-francis-meagher-36897_flag_a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing_2862985.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A National Flag is the most sacred thing a nation can possess” — Thomas Francis Meagher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Francis Meagher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-francis-meagher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A National Flag is the most...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing-a-nation-can-possess/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-francis-meagher/a-national-flag-is-the-most-sacred-thing-a-nation-can-possess/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```