[beckrodgers]

typing for Bobby
Hey folks, I don't mean to sound not patriotic, try to follow me here. When the 9/11 occurred almost everybody went bat crazy trying to display something with a flag. At this point in time I personally have picked up as of today, 57 US flags off the streets in and around Memphis. It really pisses me off to no end seeing this. I have seen flags tied in knots hanging over convience stores. I have almost been run over picking up these things we call flags. Had a TN highway p-man ask me what I was doing stopped in the middle of a 4 lane state highway with a center turn lane. I simply told him "picking up a flag". I really thought bad of him for his attitude. It has gotten to the point I believe people really have no idea about The Flag or God or our own right to self-determination. I had intended on putting this up a while back but today when I found that last flag, I asked Becky to type for me. I have not expressed my opinion or feeling on this public forum like I want to. Yall tell me if I'm wrong. I say there's too many flags. thanks

[4570Rick]

Not too many flags, too many people unaware of flag etiquette.:(

[AnklePocket]

I may be completely wrong, but there's a chance that the percentage of real patriots vs. real unpatriotic is exactly the same as it was in 1776.

[BamBam-31]

Agree with 4570Rick.

Flags do not cause themselves to be thrown on the ground or knotted up around poles. Spoons don't cause Rosie to be fat, cameras don't cause kiddie porn, guns don't cause crime.

It's the nut behind the butt. ;)

[ahadams]

Also agree with 4570 Rick but Anklepocket may be closer to the truth than he realizes. Some reasonalbe studies have shown that the population of the 13 colonies at the time of the revolution, less Native Americans living out in the woods, was pretty evenly divided between 1/3 Patriot, 1/3 Tory, and 1/3 'just leave me alone'. Though I guess the NA folks would have qualified for the 'leave me alone' category.

[Crimper-D]

Was at a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago! ;) I was in uniform... You are supposed to salute the Colors... Every single one that goes by... Every Unit... Bout wore out my arm saluting:D
Not to mention the Irish Tricolor:uhoh:
Worth it... I'd stop and pick up the Colors out of the road too:cool:

[Seawolf]

Stopping in the middle of a 4 lane highway to pick up a flag not only risks your lives but those of others. Rather idiotic in my opinion.

But the other examples are good.

[Sodbuster]

Yall tell me if I'm wrong. I say there's too many flags. thanks
There's too many flags where you're finding them, but just enough flags everywhere else. :) Glad your "traffic stop" turned out all right. :)

[Malone LaVeigh]

Hey, I don't have any use for deliberate disrespect for the flag, because it hurts a lot of peoples feelings. And neglect to the point of letting the wind beat one to shreds shows a tremendous lack of class. But I also have a problem when people insist that military ettiquite be observed around the flag at all times.

The flag belongs to all of us, not just the military. Just because you are or were or feel compelled to treat it a certain way dosen't mean that the rest of us should. Remember, it's just a piece of cloth in the final analysis. A symbol. It's what it symbolizes that really matters.

Edited to remove redundancy.

[Shweboner]

Not enough flags, and too many people not respecting what it stands for.

~brain

[HABU]

Flag abuse has been rampant since 9/11. Mostly its good peeps not knowing proper etiquette.

Was at a St. Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago! I was in uniform... You are supposed to salute the Colors... Every single one that goes by... Every Unit... I was taught that you only had to salute the first one, not every one, Hmmmmm, I'll have to investibate that.

[voilsb]

I agree. it's not too many flags, it's too many people unaware of flag etiquette.

I also admit I hate seeing the flag wrapped up around flag poles, or badly faded or torn and shredded. It also irks me when I see them hanging or posted backwards, but much less so than the others.

If I get the chance, I usually talk with the person flying the flag and tell them the flag etiquette. Sometimes I don't get the chance to, though. Sometimes I don't bother, either. Like on fraternity row by the university, there are just too many improperly flying flags for me to bother trying to hunt down the person in authority for each house to have them straighten up the flag.

[Justin]

What AnklePocket said.

Call me cynical, but I'd be surprised if even 10% of the people flying the flag understood even a fraction of the symbolism involved in the design or the history of the country.

To be even more cynical, I'm not sure I quite understand why everyone seems to have a fetish for rectangles of cloth lately. It just seems like such an empty act of symbolism.

[jmbg29]

Flag abuse has been rampant since 9/11. Mostly its good peeps not knowing proper etiquette.A lot of the flag abuse around here is the result of the high concentration of demorat and watermelon (Green) party parents and their little delinquents.

Dozens of flags stolen, our local Veterans Association building (Am. Legion/V.F.W.) broken into and ransacked etc., etc., etc....

I'm sure their parents told them that stealing, destroying, and disrespecting things that other people bled and fought and died for was OK. After all, they're just symbols. It's what they symbolize that really matters. :fire: :fire:

The joke is on the delinquents and their :cuss:up parents. They still haven't realized the sort of dedicated effort that is being made to see that they recieve the maximum penalties for their crimes.

It's a shame that their fruitcake teachers didn't take a long enough break from their HateAmericaIndoc curriculum to at least teach the kids the meaning of the word RELENTLESS.:fire:

Then again, a couple of the local teachers are busy right now. They are "human shields" in Iraq.:fire: :fire: