Click to Enlarge
I recently ended a self-imposed moratorium on blogging.
The moratorium had developed because, among other things, I live in one of the most conservative, supposedly extremely patriotic, cities in California. Yet in spite of a series of articles on the disgraceful state of the American (and other) flags flying above Club One Casino across from the Courthouse downtown, I had been unable to stir anyone to action — pressure was needed on Club One to replace the flags and it seemed that even Fresno was content to let those rags rot on their poles. It seemed to me as if I could walk into a church in Clovis (where you can just about find a church set up between every other house), shout “Praise God!” and I wouldn’t get a single “Amen!” in return. There was no point in writing anymore.
Some people, however, did begin contacting — some more than once — various people such as their council representatives, and even Club One directly. I don’t know how many people, but it was apparently enough.
Click to Enlarge
On or about June 28, 2005, Club One finally removed the disintegrating specimens hanging above their doors and replaced them with fresh new flags. The move came just in time to stave off a Fourth of July protest out front of Club One that some of us were planning, but I think we can live with that — especially since those of us planning it aren’t actually fond of standing on street corners all day anyway.
We do, however, enjoy the new view out our windows of nice, clean, crisp American flags flying in the wind! Long — but not too long — may they wave!
3 responses so far ↓
1 Bob // Jul 1, 2005 at 7:23 am
All Hail the Power of Unspun!
2 Mark // Jul 2, 2005 at 7:59 am
Rick:
Good for you on your success in getting the disgracefully worn flags replaced with new ones.
What I would like to see is a self-imposed ban on many of the items for personal use my wife and I see in the stores made out of the flag. Men’s boxer shorts, for instance. I kid you not. We were in a retail establishment the other day and saw men’s boxer shorts for sale with the American flag design. Disgusting.
We are regular golfers and we have seen more than one other golfer use an American flag golf towel. They want to wipe mud off their golf clubs with the American flag.
Remember the night Janet Jackson exposed herself at the Super Bowl and so many people were so upset? Janet’s display didn’t bother us in the least. What DID upset us was Kid Rock wearing an American flag as a poncho.
Do we need a constitutional amendment to protect us against such disgusting and disrespectful practices? I think not.
What all of us SHOULD do is speak out when we see things like this. My wife and I are guilty of not complaining to the stores that sell boxer shorts, napkins, and paper plates made of an American flag design. We are both guilty of not confronting golfers who want to wipe their golf clubs with an American flag. It may not win me many new friends, but from this point forward I will try to follow Rick’s example and speak out when I see the flag being used in an inappropriate and unpatriotic manner.
3 Kevin Ballie // Jul 2, 2005 at 4:32 pm
Congrats on the flag victory!
I saw the old one on an earlier post… God that was a sorry excuse for a flag.
Leave a Comment