Some on Oahu celebrate Flag Day, others call it ‘somber’ reminder

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The United States marked Flag Day on Sunday, honoring the adoption of the American flag, and while some celebrated the holiday, others called it a somber day in history.

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Members of the military held a ceremony at Pearl Harbor to recognize Flag Day. This year’s holiday is especially momentous for some, as the 250th anniversary of America’s independence approaches this July 4.

“I think today represents a lot of what America stands for and I think today, there were a lot of what America stands for and I think there were a lot of organizations that these flags represented, and I had the joy of representing them because they meant something to me,” said Navy sailor Mitke Strickland.

The event was special for Strickland, who added, “This is actually my first time enlisted being able to present a flag, so that was something that definitely meant personal to me.”

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For others, including Hawaiian community leader Hinaleimoana Wong, the American flag reminds them of dark events in history, namely, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

“As a Hawaiian, it makes me very emotional and one day, I look forward to the relationship between the Hawaiian flag and the American flag to be put back in a rightful place,” Wong said.

The Waikiki Improvement Association is hosting a free fireworks show in Waikiki on Independence Day.

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