What happened to flying the flag on Memorial Day?
posted at 10:16 pm on May 25, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
I love my community here in Minnesota, but my neighbors are clueless about flying the flag on holidays. I’m wondering whether that is true elsewhere as well. Today is one of the few days I’d consider a must for displaying the flag — July 4th and Veterans Day would be the others for a bare minimum — and yet I’m the only one flying the flag on my street, and I believe in the entire neighborhood. In fact, I saw more Twins flags than American flags flying today.
Obviously, this isn’t a scientific poll, but I’d like to get an idea of whether this community (which is a fairly reliable red county here in MN) is an exception or the rule.
Blowback
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Apparently Americans think the government should fly their flag for them too.
I fly mine on holidays and special occasions like today.
Speakup on May 26, 2009 at 12:44 AM
On my cul-de-sac there are nine homes. Three flew the colors today. The cul-de-sac to my east another three of nine, but the one to my south all nine had them flying.
It is comfy to not fly it. They remain anonymous. Sitting in the back row at class. Not cheering too loudly at the ballpark. Never honking their horn. Leaving 15% on the table even though the fries were cold. But they watch CNN, and Katie Couric. Letterman is a hit, unless you like Leno then of course Leno is king.
Limerick on May 26, 2009 at 12:49 AM
Don’t Obamalini On Me
MB4 on May 26, 2009 at 1:09 AM
Just a current sample of what is important:
lede story at CNN: How to stay entertained this summer.
lede story at ABC: Sale of the century on American cars.
lede story at MSNBC: Autopies of our war dead
lede story at Stars and Stripes: Nork nuke test
Limerick on May 26, 2009 at 1:12 AM
Hundreds of flags were flying all over town here in small town Georgia. At the memorial park there was a special display of almost 100 flags the high school’s JROTC color guard put up. They were treated with special care as they were all coffin flags. Quite a few of them had less than 50 stars.
There are places in America where those who serve are remembered and honored.
Buford on May 26, 2009 at 1:15 AM
Where I am, it was very windy today. That’s the only reason I didn’t leave it out. It’s an old cloth flag that may have ripped if I left it out.
RBMN on May 26, 2009 at 1:18 AM
I live in apartments and we’re not allowed to fly any flag or have anything up in the windows. There is a flag at the front office, but I didn’t notice if the flag was at half-mast or not.
Weebork on May 26, 2009 at 1:24 AM
The flag of our stately battles,
not struggles of wrath and greed,
Its stripes were a holy lesson,
its spangles a deathless creed:
‘T was red with the blood of freemen
and white with the fear of the foe;
And the stars that fight in their courses
‘gainst tyrants its symbols know.
– The Flag, by Julia Ward Howe
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 1:28 AM
Here’s to the red of it;
There’s not a thread of it —
No nor a shred of it —
In all the spread of it,
From foot to head,
But heroes bled for it,
Faced steel and lead for it —
Precious blood shed for it,
Bathing it red.
Here’s to the white of it;
Thrilled by the sight of it,
Who knows the right of it
But has felt the might of it
Through day and night?
Womanhood’s care for it
Made manhood dare for it;
Purity’s prayer for it
Kept it so white
Here’s to the blue of it,
Heavenly view of it,
Star spangled hue of it,
Honesty’s due of it,
Constant and true;
Here’s to the whole of it —
Stars, stripes and pole of it —
Here’s to the soul of it,
Red white and blue.
– A Toast to the Flag, by John Jay Daly
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 1:34 AM
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
– Francis Scott Key
Make it true.
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 1:39 AM
There were a few flags displayed in my heavily red neighborhood today. I’m the only one who flies the flag every day, no matter who is serving in the White House.
notesonascorecard on May 26, 2009 at 1:41 AM
Mine is flown 24/7 (illuminated at night)
Only change in the neighborhood. was my next door neighbor that put red-white-blue ribbons over his pool party.
F15Mech on May 26, 2009 at 1:51 AM
Maybe people are waiting for the ‘actual’ Memorial Day- May 30th. Unlikely, though. Our country celebrates today so that we can have bbq’s and a three day weekend. The 30th is when I will remember my Grandfather’s fallen brethren. He fought in Guatel Canal and Iwo Jima.
We flew our flag today and will keep it up through Flag Day. Up again for the 4th. Don’t Tread On Me on September 11th. Stars and Stripes back for Veterans Day.
Hades69 on May 26, 2009 at 2:04 AM
MB4 on May 26, 2009 at 3:07 AM
I found the best explanation I have ever seen, of what we owe our fallen soldiers here.
http://galactanet.com/comic/view.php?strip=46
darktood on May 26, 2009 at 5:01 AM
F15Mech, Same at my house. For some reason folks forgot who they are, where they came from and have not a clue about where their liberty came from or who maintained it with their Service and Sacrifice. Revisionist history is taught in schools so half can claim ignorance. The other half feel entitled and Service is for Other People. Complacent, ignorant and entitled. Pretty sums it up and explains why we have a Pretender voted into office as POTUS, Weasels in Congress and taxes on the rise to pay for services and programs that America cannot afford and does not need while Social Security and Medicare are in the tank.
old trooper2 on May 26, 2009 at 6:20 AM
Same in my neighborhood…I was the only one who put a flag up. Mine was getting a bit tattered, so I went out over the weekend and got a new one.
JetBoy on May 26, 2009 at 6:34 AM
I fly two flags the Stars & Stripes and a Saltire to honor my country, my heritage and the folk who gave me the freedoms I enjoy.
We have a raised deck so our flags look beautiful one pointing towards the east and one pointing west. But in spite of all our precise measurements to place the hangers equally the Stars and Stripes flies just a teeny bit higher than the Saltire…. someone up there smiles down on the USA :)
.
philly_PA on May 26, 2009 at 6:55 AM
Lots of flags here in our little republican outpost town in New England. Had a “big” parade too.
Rod on May 26, 2009 at 7:15 AM
Dear goopers, another topic, another chance to bash Obama. Because people not flying the flag is Obama’s fault. Does hatred just pour out of your pores? Think your party can make a comeback with hatred of Obama being front and center. The party of no, the party of torture, the party of Rush, the party of no universal healthcare, global warming deniers. The party that has pushed out all moderates. Yeah, wrap yourselves in the flag, tell everyone how patriotic you are and then get your hate on. Listen to Rush, he helps with the hate on. And then get prepared to take your whipping in the 2010 midterms.
athensboy on May 26, 2009 at 7:18 AM
In my suburban Atlanta town, the city flies tens (maybe a hundred) of flags along the city’s main streets on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and July 4. It’s a nice site to see driving down flanked by flags everywhere. The county voted AGAINST the Messiah by about 70% to 30%.
In my neighborhood I’d say 20% of the homes had a flag up yesterday.
angryed on May 26, 2009 at 7:20 AM
Besides the number of houses that didn’t fly a flag, I’m always frustrated by the number of businesses that have an American flag out front but can’t be bothered to put it at half staff on Memorial Day.
thuljunior on May 26, 2009 at 7:28 AM
We live in a subdivision of 80 homes and we were the only ones with a flag. I am waiting to get a note from the homeowner’s association with a handslap for doing it. (during the election, we were warned to NOT set out political yard signs). My husband plans to fly the flag every day from now on, weather permitting.
When we lived in Texas, everyone along our street had a 3′ x 5′ flag placed on “flag flying” holidays in their front yard thanks to a veteran’s group, for a small donation. That was awesome to see.
tru2tx on May 26, 2009 at 7:29 AM
So it is ADD then huh AthensMoron? Only explanation as to why you can’t keep on even such a simple topic like flags on Memorial Day.
I’ll give you partial credit though…you managed to write an entire 5 rambling sentences without mentioning Iraq. That’s progress for a nutroot.
angryed on May 26, 2009 at 7:30 AM
We fly our flag year round, but about a week ago the cable guy dropped a cable on it and broke the holder, my husband, though I nagged at him has not yet put up the new holder, I was not happy to not have the flag out on such a day. On our street we are the only ones with a flag. Some of our neighbors still have Obama signs in windows and yards though. Go figure.
4shoes on May 26, 2009 at 7:32 AM
Sorry Athens, the “progressives” have cornered the market on hatred.
4shoes on May 26, 2009 at 7:35 AM
A few of us fly the flag everyday. One gent at the entrance lines the sidewalk in front of his yard with flags in addition to flying a larger flag. The HOA attached our nations colors (large ribbons/bows) to the gate entrance/exit a couple of weeks ago.
raz0r on May 26, 2009 at 7:39 AM
Limerick on May 26, 2009 at 1:12 AM
???? huh? spelling 101
bridgetown on May 26, 2009 at 7:46 AM
Most people in my neighborhood fly the flag every day, all year round.
bridgetown on May 26, 2009 at 7:47 AM
athensboy on May 26, 2009 at 7:18 AM
huh…Your comment is the only hateful one here.
bridgetown on May 26, 2009 at 7:48 AM
lede: (US, journalism, slang) The introductory paragraph(s) of a newspaper or other article
Loxodonta on May 26, 2009 at 7:53 AM
Not only were few flying flags here in Toledo yesterday, most of those who were flying were flying them at full staff in the morning. Only saw a couple that were correctly at half staff. Residences, businesses and governmental offices all get blame.
(don’t have a flagpole/flag myself)
rbj on May 26, 2009 at 7:58 AM
Obama is not the cause of the left’s disrespect for the flag and the country, he is just the latest symptom of the spread of this disease.
I have to give you one thing, you folks have been remarkably successful in teaching our children to hate the nation that gives them liberty and to hate their fellow citizens. Maybe you are the face of new America. If so, you will have a short lived run before the true face of “progressivism” takes over and puts you under its thumb too.
johnsteele on May 26, 2009 at 8:00 AM
When I bought my home I hung my flag before I hung my drapes. It has only been down twice in 10 years. Once for hurricane Charlie the other for hurricane Wilma.
Bicyea on May 26, 2009 at 8:07 AM
I had my flag up as did the neighbor across the street and one down the street.
The only thing I can figure is either everyone in this very red county was out of town, didn’t want to fight the rain, or is just plain lazy.
Makes me mad.
ladyingray on May 26, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Sorry Ed even if your neighborhood is solid red, MN did vote for Al Franken. now there’s a flag man if we ever saw one. It is part of Athenboys band of merryweather libs with the aid of the press that have villified people who show true patriotism. His ilk have trashed all moral foundations that made this great nation so free enabling his ilk to hate even at the risk of destroying the venue in which his free hate flurishes. You know very well athenschild that it is you and your kind who continue to destroy Miss California…now that is hate manifest.
wepeople on May 26, 2009 at 8:14 AM
I’m sure Barry had a little flag pin on his golf shirt yesterday while teeing off. Golf on Memorial Day…will he go bowling on Veterans Day? What a sick piece of garbage that man is.
angryed on May 26, 2009 at 8:19 AM
This was my twitter/facebook status for most of yesterday (still active today for the time being)”
Paul wonders why Google doesn’t have a holiday logo today. Mary Cassat’s birthday: full blown logo. Missing link: full logo. Remembering our fallen soldiers: a tiny yellow ribbon at the bottom of the page.
cannonball on May 26, 2009 at 8:24 AM
I would add Flag Day — June 14th — and 9-11 to your list of must fly days.
EconomicNeocon on May 26, 2009 at 8:25 AM
They probably won’t let him use a grill at the White House. What’s he supposed to do? The gym was probably closed, so Bball was out, well, at least until the Lakers/Nuggets game later in the evening.
Should he be attending to the Norks, Iran and Adinanutjob, or the budget on a national holiday? Dude’s union — he gets his time off with pay.
EconomicNeocon on May 26, 2009 at 8:28 AM
you’re an angry, angry little man
blatantblue on May 26, 2009 at 8:34 AM
athensboy on May 26, 2009 at 7:18 AM
Visit http://www.thethirdjihad.com/about_new.php. Then you’ll find out what the Democrats/Liberals/Atheists new best friends have planned for you. Remarkable how you liberals manage to inject hatred into every discussion, no matter the topic. Reminds me of something an old country preacher said: “What’s down in the well is what comes up in the bucket”. You’ll probably have trouble understanding that, he was after all, a CHRISTIAN preacher.
oldleprechaun on May 26, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Our veterans groups decorated the whole of the town square roadside with little flags … A fitting display.
tarpon on May 26, 2009 at 8:38 AM
For 5 years I walked in the local parade with my cub scouts. This year as a retired leader, I did not get the chance to go.
I did fly my flag but I was the only one in my cul-de-sac to do so (1 out of 17). I even set off some 4th of July boomers to mark the day.
And for a while, I thought to fly the flag in the distress fashion, but decided against it at the last moment.
mechkiller_k on May 26, 2009 at 8:51 AM
I flew our flag as did about 2/3 of the neighborhood. I’d say about half the neighborhood displays the flag on a regular basis.
There was also a nice ceremony at the local national cemetary with every grave marked with a flag. Additionally, there was another ceremony at the Confederate cemetary in town and each Confederate grave was marked with the battle flag.
SoonerMarine on May 26, 2009 at 9:23 AM
I’m convinced athensboi has either third stage syphillis or is playing the moonbat stereotype magnificently. The two are indistinguishable.
daesleeper on May 26, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Most of the houses on both sides of the street on my block flew their flags. Most have the fixed pole that does not accommodate half-staff. One neighbor has an honest-to-goodness flag pole and flew her flag at half-staff.
I am not ashamed to say I haven’t flown the colors since January 20, 2009.
SicSemperTyrannus on May 26, 2009 at 9:57 AM
If that isn’t a fitting analogy for moonbats, I don’t know what is.
tru2tx on May 26, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Two flags were flown on my street. Mine and a neighbors.
GarandFan on May 26, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Five on my street, in a new development. Many more across our small town.
MCPO Airdale on May 26, 2009 at 10:33 AM
One other neighbor in our neighborhood flew an American flag yesterday. But when leaving the neighborhood -out onto the main road the local government lined the street with American Flags. My point is, there wasn’t a secret about flying the American Flag yesterday.
Dr Evil on May 26, 2009 at 10:54 AM
In the light foggy pre-dawn darkness as I spoke to my son on the matters of life, I wondered have we as a nation reached that point of breaking? Our nation stands at a cross road as it has many times before but the spirit of her people has endured and with GOD’s grace we will once again rise to the challenges before us! Off in the distance volunteers read the names as they have around the clock for the past week of those who are interred here at Riverside National cemetery. Big doing here later today many speakers, but now at first light folks are trickling in and the rolling flag covered hills are like a Norman Rockwell.
My son’s name is called and I think of the day when both our names are called.
Take heart people our nation will endure the line of patriots remains unbroken.
nowhiners on May 26, 2009 at 11:31 AM
the only three on my street were me, one guy across the street and a lady about 5 houses down that had the house built two years ago while on tour in Iraq, came home for signing; hadn’t even began moving in yet and was redeployed so her family came over and put the flag up. It was quite depressing to say the least that one of our own neighbors hasnt even been able to live in her house due to her serving her country and only one other felt the need.
CaptainObvious on May 26, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Our flag flies year round at my farm and on my vehicles. The Gadsden “Dont Tread On Me” flag is beneath the American flag and on my flag pole also flies the US Army flag in honor of my son serving his country to protect his family and all American citizens.
amr on May 26, 2009 at 12:02 PM
I don’t have a full-size flag, but I did put my small flag into a flowerpot of sand and left it on the porch ledge. The only flag in view on by block.
blr2449 on May 26, 2009 at 12:02 PM
blr2449 on May 26, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Exurban/rural area of southern California, middle-class neighbors, most aged 30s through 50s: I flew the flag the whole weekend, and about a quarter of my immediate neighbors had theirs out at least on Monday.
My town is the “Old People Capital of California,” and in the parts of town where it’s mostly older folks, a lot more flags were flying.
I should also note that I’m retired Navy, there are two other Navy families on my block, and the folks across the street have a son in the Air Force. We all had the national ensign aloft this weekend.
J.E. Dyer on May 26, 2009 at 12:51 PM
The Kiwanis Clubs of our City partner with the local Boy Scouts to place small flag holders in front yards, where they then deliver the flags (each about eight feet high and all uniform) on the “flag flying holidays”- Memorial Day, 4th of July etc. The Scouts put them out in the mornings and take them down at twilight according to flag protocol. If you want a flag in your yard, there is a minimal fee of about $20.00 per year. The great thing is that one neighbor also pays to place flags all around an arroyo adjacent to our street, so we have Old Glory lined up all around the neighborhood. It is quite a moving sight to see.
Susanboo on May 26, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Also, a small sea story. I was at Andrews Air Force Base on 9/11, attending a conference. Was stationed at CENTCOM at the time, and a group of five of us from CENTCOM were there. The conference, needless to say, was cut short. After several hours of lockdown at the base, we in the CENTCOM party were able to leave, and use one of our rental cars to drive through the night back to Tampa, and see what awaited us at the HQ there.
After pulling in bleary-eyed to my house that morning, I called in to my boss, who said to take a nap and come in after lunch. So I put up my flag before hitting the rack, thinking: This is the first time I’ve run up a battle flag over my home. None of my neighbors were out; the street was oddly silent. Mine was the only flag flying.
By the time I got up and left for the HQ, there was a flag flying from every house on my street.
I think the flags are there, and the people willing. It seemed to take an event like 9/11 to actually get the flags out.
J.E. Dyer on May 26, 2009 at 1:05 PM
No, athensboy, it’s not President Obama’s fault that the people of this country are less patriotic than they were when I was a child. It has been a slow decay towards the socialistic ideas that the President and his party stand for. He’s just the current standard bearer of those whose ideals are the antithesis of what the founders hoped this country would be. The Democrat Party stands for more people because the 47% who pay no taxes are more than willing to allow the government do things for them with the knowledge that the able-bodied and hard working will foot the bill. Those folks will always gravitate towards who will give them more “free stuff.”
RedinPDRM on May 26, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Just gotta share this. My hubby and I were out Saturday running errands when we spotted a vendor selling flags in a parking lot. He had them hung up on wires flying high for all to see. They were university flags and iconic flags, and were all quite large, maybe 4ft x 6ft. We were stopped at a traffic light and I tried to get a picture, unsuccessfully, of one particular flag; a Confederate flag with, (wait for it), Obama superimposed over one side, and the word, HOPE in bold letters. Boy, do I wish we had of turned around and gone back to get a picture. I am hoping the guy will be back so I can photograph it. My husband said we probably should have bought it because no one would believe us!
Susanboo on May 26, 2009 at 1:50 PM
I fly the flag EVERY day. And yesterday, I took down the old existing flag, which was getting faded and thin), and replaced it with a brand new one.
My son’s a US Marine, and I replaced the USMC flag I fly as well.
georgej on May 26, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Awesome.
johnnyU on May 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM
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