While Driving Around My Repugnican Burb...

[KharmaTrain]

I'm Raygasm'd out and figured this would be a great time to run errands. I figured it's a national day of mourning and going during the funeral of this great leader would be like going out during the middle of a Chicago Bears game in the Ditka days. No traffic, few places open and so on. Here's what I saw and what I didn't...

What I Saw:

First, there was a lot of traffic on the sidestreets. Kids running around on a rather nice day. The local Walmart parking lot was jammed and traffic was building up around the nearby Target and adjacent strip mall. Sure lots of mourning going on here.

What I Didn't See:

I passed by the local village hall. I would have expected a sympathy message...I remember one being on their for Nixon and even Bob Hope...but no special message today. In fact, no real display of anything either showing mouring or honoring of Raygun...within 100 miles of his birthplace. I saw one car with a flag flying, but I'm not sure if that was in honor of RR or is always on there?

Next I passed the local veterans memorial. It's a nice plaza...five flags representing the different military branches with a large American flag in the middle. It's maintained by the local VFW and they hold ceremonies there almost daily to honor some former comrade. It's not uncommon to see one or two of the service flags lowered in half-staff in honor of a veteran's passing.

Today, only two flags were at half-staff. The American flag and the Navy flag. I pulled over and talked to one of the veterans who was nearby. I asked why all the flags weren't lowered and only the Navy one was. He said that since Raygun never served in the active military, they decided it wasn't right to lower those flags. Nor was there any directives from national headquarters on such a thing.

I asked about the Navy flag and was told it was to honor a WWII Pacific Veteran who had passed away two days ago. Then the veteran chuckled and said maybe the flag also was for Raygun's movie career.

As I approached my street I got stuck in a traffic jam. My neighbor, a very wealthy and well connected Repugnican, was having a new addition done on his house and construction trucks were all over the place. I guess these people were mourning in their own way. But then most were Hispanics...they don't count, do they?

I'm curious what others are seeing while this Raygasm comes to a climax...

Cheers!

[ieoeja]

1. Noone in Chicago appears to have noticed.

He was old. He was a long time dying. And he was out of the public limelight for quite some time. He's just another dead celebrity.

Actually, Ray Charles' death is getting more attention here since Blues Fest started yesterday.

[KharmaTrain]

5. I've Got Ray Jammin' Here All Day...

I just heard Ray's version of Eleanor Rigby...whoa!

Beats the hell out of Bunnypants faking emotion for the compassionless.

[Frances]

2. Great report

I have seen very little coverage, but I am wondering, Are any of the mourners members of minority groups?

[sdfernando]

3. Flags at half staff

"Today, only two flags were at half-staff. The American flag and the Navy flag."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the way I remember being taught about the flag (and I spent all of my primary education in DoD schools) is that NO flag should ever be presented of fly higher than the US flag in our country. If so then all of those flag should have been lowed to half staff. I'd do it out of respect for the US flag, not for Raygun.

[KharmaTrain]

4. The U.S. Flag Is Higher Than The Rest

I think this is done properly...as the American flag is larger and mounted higher than the rest so that even at half-staff the flag is higher than the service flags at full staff. Does that make sense???

[sdfernando]

7. Sounds OK

Yes, that makes sense. I was assuming all the flag poles were approximately the same height. So long as the US flag flies higher than all the rest, then that is appropriate.

[noiretextatique]

6. we're supposed to have some sort of moment of silence today

at work. i will make sure i'm out of the building at that time.

[robpopulace]

8. "moment of silence"

My personal "moment of silence" was interrupted by a "moment of flatulence." And like the Reagan era, I perceived no relief, only a horrible stench.