Looking Down The Street Where I Live

[MineralMan]

I went out this morning to put out my house flag, and thought for a while about why I put that US flag on the front of my house this weekend. I don't have anyone close to me who has died while serving in the military, but I know many who do.

I'm a vet, myself, but never served anywhere where there was fighting. My father is a vet, who flew B-17s during WWII, but he managed to survive and is still around at age 85. My grandfather was an Army vet in WWI. He survived as well.

On my street, I know of more than one family, though, who has lost someone in battle, either recently or long ago. They have their flags out this weekend. But, there aren't any other flags visible. There never are. There's the right winger two doors up from me who is always going on about patriotism and saying nasty things about those "unpatriotic" liberals. There's no flag on his house. There is never a flag on his house.

It's the same everywhere I look on my block. I know most of the people, at least superficially. Lots of GOP campaign signs on my block around election time. Lots of bumper stickers about immigrants or deriding President Obama. I'm a bit of an odd duck, I guess, at least in this neighborhood.

People know I'm a liberal. They'd be hard-pressed to not know it. My campaign signs go up early and are there to suggest that people vote for Democrats. I have bumper stickers on my cars, too, some of them declaring my Veteran for Obama sentiments. I even have a Wellstone sticker, right above my Franken one.

My flag is out. Theirs are not. Why is that, I wonder? With all the talk about "patriotism" and "taking the country back," you'd think they'd be flying the flag this weekend. But they're not. They didn't last year or the year before, either. Maybe it's some other country they are "patriotic" about.

I find that an odd thing. When it is the "socialistic liberals" who are displaying the flag and not the "patriotic" right-wingers, I wonder what that says to them as they drive by my house on their way to the game or to go fishing or whatever it is that they're doing this weekend.

I wonder if they'll be dropping by the Fort Snelling National Cemetary tomorrow, as my wife and I will, to visit the grave of her father, who served and has now passed. I wonder what they think on this weekend. It's hard to say.

But, I'll continue to fly my flag on these days. I always have. I always will. It's a symbol of the United States of America -- the one I wish were what it should be. It's what I can do. It's my call for the reestablishment of the real core principles upon which this country was founded, not the false theocratic, racist principles the right is trying to foist off on the rest of us. Their flags aren't flying this weekend. Why is that? What does it mean?

I'm still thinking about it, and will continue to do that all weekend. But, my flag will fly. It will fly as a hopeful symbol. It will fly as a statement that I am a citizen of the nation that flag represents. It will fly to say, I want this nation to be what we all know it should be. I'll fly the flag on this Memorial Day weekend. Others may do as they wish, but I have to wonder...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. That is beautifully and thoughtfully said...

We will fly ours too, but not till the "official" holiday, Monday...

[MineralMan]

2. Thank you for your kind words, and for flying the flag.

[jwirr]

3. Very good article. We do not have our flag up because we live clear

back in the woods - only the bears would see it. It is a funny thing about the flag - we used to fly it like you do - on special days to honor our veterans or leaders. Then along came the raygun rebubs and the flag became a lapel pin to indicate your political party. Then the repubs started flying their flags as a symbol of THEIR patriotism year round. My grandmother would have had a fit because it is not displayed properly in most cases. Now they fly the flag with a "don't tread on me" flag below it. Then you have the businesses that fly it for economic reasons everyday. In your neighborhood you at least know what it means and they are refusing to fly it. Up here we have to wonder what the flier is trying to tell us.

I Want to go back to flying it your way. To honor our nation and its people who have served in the Armed Forces. Like my family that goes back as far as the Civil War. Thank all soldiers for their service to our nation.

[MineralMan]

4. Well, I say that we should take back the flag and fly it

proudly.

[AnArmyVeteran]

5. Hypocrisy is the only 'value' conservatives have...

[eleny]

6. We try to fly ours every day weather permitting

And one of my favorite flags is the "Don't tread..." one because of our family's interest in history and the Rev War. People around here know we're liberals, too. And we don't let the Teabaggers appropriate our flags. We flew it long before they showed up.

[NJmaverick]

7. K&R

[MineralMan]

8. Thanks for reading and responding!

[yowzayowzayowza]

9. Thx. K&R

[proteus_lives]

10. K&R

:thumbsup:

[pinboy3niner]

11. A most excellent post

Thanks, MineralMan!

:patriot: