Posted on 05/31/2002 7:18:13 AM PDT by LavaDog
DURING MEMORIAL DAY weekend what occurred to me was that I saw virtually no flags.
That seemed odd, particularly in light of the situation this nation finds itself in today.
We all felt a burst of patriotism and sense of outrage after the September 11 attacks. Many Americans who did not own a flag could not buy one at the stores as supplies were depleted.
Now, just nine short months after the slaughter of over 3,000 people in the worst terrorism attack ever to take place on American soil, the flags that were prominently visible are now few and far between. I ask myself this - "Where are the flags now?"
Cynically I wonder, "Was it just a fad?" Are we so self-centered as a nation that we could have already forgotten? Since the attack did not hit us here in my home of Raleigh, NC, are we so removed from what happened in New York and Washington that we have become complacent?
In the last ten days we've had numerous warnings about the clear and present danger of terrorism from alerts at our airports, ports, and nuclear facilities.
The war on terrorism is still ongoing…the danger is still present…and troubling new problems loom ahead, the possibility of suicide bombers in this country, the use of suitcase nuclear devises…the list of heinous scenarios grows almost daily.
We still have troops in Afghanistan and it is clear that they will not be home in the foreseeable future.
There are new revelations regarding memos/warnings about events prior to the September attacks.
Clearly the agencies that guarded our national security prior to September 11 had become too bureaucratic and too centralized. We now know that the INS dropped the ball and the jury is still out on what transpired at the FBI in regards to the so-called 20th hijacker.
Time is not on our side and Monday morning quarterbacking by pundits and ambitious politicians, in my view, is not healthy. Also, I do not believe an independent commission is the answer. We have intelligence oversight committees that are well on their way to looking into the inadequacies of our national security apparatus.
However, there are things we can do immediately. First and foremost we should scrap the INS as it is presently constituted and rebuild that agency from the ground up. We should also tighten our borders and consider a military presence on both the borders of Canada and Mexico. It goes without saying that we should be much stricter about who we let in this country. The debate needs to start on whether we should restrict any and all access to America from nations who support or who have ties to countries that sponsor terrorism. This is not, in my opinion, racial profiling. This, in the view of many, is common sense. After all, 15 of the 19 terrorists were from Saudi Arabia. It has been widely reported that many Saudis continue to raise money for organizations that sponsor terrorism. Let's be clear, the goal of the terrorists is to destroy the American way of life and to undermine democracy around the world. We need to adjust to these new realities.
The first role of government is to defend and protect its people. Civil libertarians will cry foul about domestic intelligence gathering. We must be mindful of the constitution. However, we are at war, and those who would harm us are not likely citizens of this great country. We are in un-chartered waters and the times dictate extraordinary measures. We can no longer afford to be politically correct.
Maybe Specialist Mathew L. Hinck (U.S. Armey’s 101 Airborne) said it best…that "The next generation deserves to grow up with peace in their lives like we did."…"Being here (in Kandahar) is the best thing I can do for my country" (Parade Magazine, 5/26/02).
That is why I was dismayed when I saw so few flags flying Memorial Day. Flying the flag, in my mind, shows a renewed determination to protect democracy, express an appreciation for our country and all it symbolizes, and reminds us of the value of every life. We also have a new definition of what it means to be a real hero.
"Where are the flags? Maybe the flags are on our hearts or lapels. Let's hope that's the case. Maybe that’s where they have to be for each of us to have the personal resolve we will need as we face the threat of terrorism in the years to come.
Our flag's mounting bracket pulled out of the front porch post, which has to be replaced before the flag can go up again. Not everyone is apathetic.
Good for you. Me, too. I also had and have the Culpepper Minutemen's flag and the Fort Bennington flag hanging in the garage.
. . . 
But hey, this is America now -- not a nation anymore, but a homeland.
Our year-round Christmas tree in the living room (more of a celebration tree during other seasons) just got a fresh decor of star-spangled ornaments and garland, and we've put up a beautiful red-white-blue ribbon display on the front door. My wife is in charge of the seasonal displays, and she does a wonderful job.
She's really cute, too!
Michael
I also am struck by the fact that very few people I talk to seem to realize we are at war - a war against Islam for the survival of the US. When will we wake up to the fact that we are in the midst of the new Crusade?
Sometimes I sit in my stars and stripes chair and eat from decorated dishes with matching tablecloth and silverware under the flag lights on the porch.
All this "stuff" is not new since 9-11. My husband is buried at Arlington cemetery and serving our country has always been part of our lives.
I hope those who were stirred after 9-11 will not have to have another attack to again "wake up". Maybe the one year anniversary will be an opportunity for them to proudly "fly the colors" again.
Be careful! You're not allowed to use the word Crusade it might offend someone who suffered through it. /sarcasm off>
Every town and village around me boasted a main street lined with flags and a parade. The cemetaries around the Wisconsin countryside were full of flags on the grave of every veteran.
I wore red, white, & blue to a bar-be-cue on the holiday, and the hostess used a patriotic theme for her table decorations. There was no sortage of flags on display on Memorial Day. Where do you live???
But that's not scheduled to take place until next year. Maybe for Cinco de Mayo, Conoces?
-archy-/-
Mine was up on Monday.
It's currently down because we're having siding put on the house, but it will be back up as soon as they're finished.
I had to put away the flags that I was flying from the brackets that fit on my car windows. The fabric was very heavy (sewn double) and they would continuously slap on the roof of the car. Not only did it sound awful, my husband was worried that it would eventually wear a hole in the paint.
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