I’ve learned that memory is important.  Remember Emily for her sweet goofiness, for her talent on the court, for her loyal friendship.  Remember Matt as an intellectual, a spirited conversationalist, a hopeful world traveler.  Remember them all.

As part of her work on the Smithsonian Channel film A Star-Spangled Story: Battle for America, filmmaker Molly Hermann had the up-close opportunity to reflect on her personal connections to the song and the flag that inspired it.   As ubiquitous as grass in a yard or mailboxes along the roadside, for Americans, our flag is the king-daddy of symbols. We planted one on the moon. Visitors tour Washington, D.C., every year wearing them on their t-shirts. The search to make sense of the 9/11 attacks caused such a run on flags you couldn't buy one for a month. As children, we pledge…