I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

This weekend, as I drove by rows and rows of houses, I noticed a common thing.

It wasn’t the fact that every house in Ames looks the same.

It wasn’t the red and yellow Cyclone mailboxes on every other corner.

It was the U.S. flags.

I saw several houses with flags hanging over the front door.

Another had about 20 miniature flags planted in the front yard framing its sidewalk.

It seems to me that ever since the World Trade Center and Pentagon tragedy occured last week, flags have invaded neighborhoods, businesses and apartment buildings.

I’m seeing flags everywhere, not just in front yards.

Flags are appearing on T-shirts, pinned to bookbags and hanging in windows of stores.

I’ve seen more American flags in the last week than I’ve seen in my entire life. And I don’t know how to react.

Up until a week ago, when I saw someone wearing red, white and blue, I thought of about overpriced Tommy Hilfiger clothing, not of the United States.

And I’m not the only one seeing the overload of American flags.

Flags sales have increased dramatically at stores like Wal-Mart and Kmart all over the country.

And after the flags are gone, people are grabbing for anything red, white and blue.

Already, the Kmart’s Web site’s top seller is a T-shirt with a American flag on the front and the words “United We Stand.”

By buying a remembrance flag or T-shirt at Bluelight.com for the low, low price of $7.99, all proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

And if your local Wal-Mart is sold out of flags, the Des Moines Register is here to help.

In Sunday’s Des Moines Register, there was a special two-page spread of a flag and readers were encouraged to pull it out and display it. On the back of the flag was a list of contributors to a fund drive for the American Red Cross.

Okay, so at this point you are thinking I’m un-American. I’m against flag makers. I don’t like Betsy Ross. I’m don’t own any flag apparel. I really don’t know the words to “America the Beautiful.”

But it’s not like that at all.

I was raised to be proud of the country we live in. We are lucky we live in the United States. I stop and stand when the flag is presented in parades. I listen respectively when the national anthem is played.

But unfortunately, people like me were few and far between until last week.

It’s sad that it takes a country on the edge of World War III to make people stop and think about our country. Up until Friday, I had never sung “God Bless America” except in church services on the Fourth of July. Saturday the Eddie From Ohio concert at the Maintenance Shop ended with everyone singing “God Bless America.”

I think it’s great that in this time of need and worry, thousands of ISU students gathered together and sang “America the Beautiful” on Central Campus Friday.

But what upsets me is that during the football game against Northern Iowa two weeks ago, few college students paused in their conversations to acknowledge the fact that the national anthem was playing.

So I hope this patriotism and national pride continues even after the rubble clears from this tragic event is over. That people are proud of the fact that they live in the United States. That people keep their flags hanging all year round.

We are united at this moment.

But we should be united at all times not just during a crisis.

We are one nation.

But it shouldn’t take a war for us to remember that.

Michelle Kann is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Garnavillo and the newsroom managing editor.