I had to go into work (yes, in the ice and snow) Saturday and saw something which really bothered me after I got there.

I stopped to look out the window because I thought I heard someone outside and saw that the flag had fallen from the flagpole across the street and was lying in the parking lot. I couldn't leave it like that, so I got my coat and gloves on and headed out to retrieve it.
When I got there I noticed that the line used to run the flag up the pole had been worn through and that the flag itself was pretty frayed. I guess the owner ran it up the pole and never thought about it since that time.

It really bothered me to see so little care given to our flag. I'm no flag-waving, love-it-or-leave-it type of person, but I was brought up to have respect for our national symbol. Being raised in a military family just reinforced that mindset.

I was tempted to take it home and burn it to dispose of it properly. However, I shook out the ice as best I could, laid it out on the ground (which also bothered me), and folded it as well as could be done. Then I placed it in a sheltered spot at the front door of the business. Once I got back to my office I called the company to let them know why they found their flag at the door instead of on the pole. I didn't want them to think it was some prank, not that they could have raised it on the broken line anyway. I also noted the condition of the flag and suggested it was time to replace that one.

Some of you probably think I was either overly sentimental about the situation, or maybe think I was rude in suggesting the flag be replaced. It's just a symbol, right? I don't mind if you think about it that way, but I acted in the only way I have been trained to act, out of respect for the symbol of my country.

I don't mean to start a controversial topic, and I don't want to even get started on the whole flag burning issue. I just had to vent a bit. The GGA seems to be good at welcoming such a diverse group of people and issues that I didn't think this would lead to rants about freedom of speech and such.

Thanks for putting up with my ramblings.

S-4-C

Mark,

I'm with you 100% on the flag issue. You did the right thing given the circumstances. Now GO TO BED, it's after 4:00 AM!!!

Bob

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Now GO TO BED, it's after 4:00 AM!!!

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And what the heck is Bob doing up at 5:57. You should never get up before 8:00 on a weekend.



S-4-C, I applaud your actions. You might want to follow-up and suggest that the flag be given to a local Boy Scout troop for proper disposition. I can remember attending many BSA ceremonies when my son was younger. The boys would each be given a fragment of an old flag, each toss it respectfully into a bonfire as part of the ceremony.

~erik~

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I'm no flag-waving, love-it-or-leave-it type of person, but I was brought up to have respect for our national symbol.

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Well, I AM! I get ribbed every time the National Anthem plays before a NASCAR race. I stand with my hand over my heart. My daughter quit bringing her boyfriends over until after the race had started.
Ya did a good thing!

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You might want to follow-up and suggest that the flag be given to a local Boy Scout troop for proper disposition.

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Great idea. Just replaced an old 3'x 5'one on my flagpole, and now know what to do with it. Didn't want to throw it in the trash, so I folded it up and kept it.

I was a scout, and so I fully agree with what you chose to do, strapped. I would have done the same. Frankly, I have no idea how someone could care that little for our national symbol. As I sit here, I see that the flagpole across the street has bee out in the ice storm all weekend as well, and it is all iced up. Thankfully, it didn't fall, but still...

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Originally posted by phat.bak:
I get ribbed every time the National Anthem plays before a NASCAR race. I stand with my hand over my heart.

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I can relate to this. At the Falcons games (or while watching any football on TV), I get all teary when someone sings it. Takes me a few to get the lump outta my throat too.

Eric said,

"And what the heck is Bob doing up at 5:57. You should never get up before 8:00 on a weekend."

Well, I'm an early morning person. 6:00 AM is the norm. Besides, yesterday had nothing to do but take a nap in the aftenoon, and that killed getting a full night sleep last night.

Originally posted by phat.bak:
I get ribbed every time the National Anthem plays before a NASCAR race. I stand with my hand over my heart.

Prepare to be ribbed again...I read that & thought you were referring to the times when you were actually at the race... Not when you're just sitting around the house in your underwear getting ready to root for the #24 car...And who better to RIB than a phat.bak!

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And what the heck is Bob doing up at 5:57. You should never get up before 8:00 on a weekend.

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...what? and waste the best part of the day!!

JBzHOW said,

"...what? and waste the best part of the day!!"

Really. I'm thinking "lunch" at 10:00 AM and have 4 had hours to drink coffee, balance the checkbook, read the paper, go for a walk, surf the Web... By noon, half the day is shot. Who wants to spend it in bed?

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Originally posted by AtlantaGal:

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Originally posted by phat.bak:
I get ribbed every time the National Anthem plays before a NASCAR race. I stand with my hand over my heart.

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I can relate to this. At the Falcons games (or while watching any football on TV), I get all teary when someone sings it. Takes me a few to get the lump outta my throat too.

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I watched the playoff game and the shots of the military all misty-eyed and a few with streams of tears running down their faces really tightened my throat and teared me up.
Those guys really know what it is all about.

Put me toe-to-toe with one person bad mouthing the flag, our servicemen, or this country and I'll gladly give them the "Mr. T" special treatment and make sure they get on a one-way flight outta here.

And S-4-C...great job.
Many people neglect their flags and hopefully your actions will set an example to the company that they should turn their neglect into respect.

Kenneth

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Originally posted by kennethpruett:

I watched the playoff game and the shots of the military all misty-eyed and a few with streams of tears running down their faces really tightened my throat and teared me up.
Those guys really know what it is all about.

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Oh yeah, those shots had me all choked up. Had to reach for the Puff's that game.

I just thought of something... Perhaps that flag wasn't as neglected as we're thinking. That wind storm we had last weekend probably tore up a bunch of flags. I remember the owner of a flag company here in GA telling me that business booms after any significant wind storms in the area. He said even as little as 15 minutes in one of those can shred a flag. I bet that's what happened.

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Originally posted by AtlantaGal:
I just thought of something... Perhaps that flag wasn't as neglected as we're thinking. That wind storm we had last weekend probably tore up a bunch of flags. I remember the owner of a flag company here in GA telling me that business booms after any significant wind storms in the area. He said even as little as 15 minutes in one of those can shred a flag. I bet that's what happened.

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I guess it's possible, but I doubt it. I've never seen anyone raise or lower that flag in the 2+ years I've been in that location. Combine that with the severely worn line that it was run up the pole with and my level of doubt rises more.

S-4-C