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Posted by Clint Dixon on Monday, May 25, 2009 at 20:59:49 :
We took a drive to town this afternoon for a pizza. Not in observance of Memorial Day, but in celebration of Martie's birthday tomorrow. (Notice how I make the distinction between "observing" and "celebrating" of two totally different days of honor).
Being that it is Memorial Day, and with all the flag protocol discussion here recently, I made a point to look around and think about what I saw.
Every so often I would see a residence where a flag was displayed. This was slightly more prevalent the closer to town we came. Most flags I saw were displayed at places of business. This was at 4:00 P.M. in the afternoon. It was raining, and had been doing so for about 4 hours. About half of the flags were at the top of the flagpoles and the rest were at half-staff. Of those at half-staff, probably half were flying with the top edge of the flag at the midpoint of the pole; the rest were flying with the bottom edge at the pole's midpoint. Some of those still at half-staff included those at the fire station and the County Highway Garage. Some were WAY too big for the height of the pole. I know there is a rule somewhere about what height of pole is required for a certain size of flag. It seems that a lot of businesses do not care. They appear to have a contest going with other businesses to see who can afford the largest flag, pole height be damned.
I have seen large flags recently that if flown at half-staff would touch the ground on a calm day.
And this all got me to thinking about what I have seen change since I was a child. I grew up surrounded by farmers and people who worked in the shops making the farm equipment. Many were veterans of WWI, WWII, and the Korean Conflict. Very few ever spoke of their service, and very few ever flew a flag at their residence. I recall as a child seeing a flag on a pole at a home once in a great while and thinking it was an oddity. It was just something not seen much around here. It seemed to be an unspoken rule. Flags seemed to of had their place. In the classroom, in the gymnasium, at the Post Office, on the Courthouse lawn, at the Fire Station, Police Station, VFW, and Legion Halls, carried by the WWI vets in the parades.
Looking back, it seems that to the elders, flying a flag was kind of like talking about war. Each had its place. A place of respect, with people who knew. Each seemed sort of boastful, for lack of a better term, when found out of place in kind of an unspoken rule sort of way.
So, I do not fly a flag, though not out of disrespect. Exactly the opposite. I was brought up with the feeling that the flag required the utmost respect, and that the average residence was somehow not up to the level that it required, that special places were reserved for it, to be attended to by special people. I have never felt worthy to do so. Dad did not fly a flag, Grandpa did not, and our neighbors did not. And when you found yourself in the presence of the flag, you knew it was very important and not trivial.
I think it is good to see more people and business fly the flag nowadays. And the change has not taken place just since 9/11. At least not around here. But I kind of wonder if some of the responsibility is lost on some people who do so. I wonder how many citizens and businesses do it just to keep up with the Jones's, so to speak. It appears that not many take the time to learn the rules.
I remember when the new Lowes store was built locally. I am no expert on the subject, but I knew it was wrong when I saw their flags on display for sale and they were hung on the circuit breaker guarding for all to see with the field of blue to the upper right. And it was not all just young kids working there either.
So to Paul and Mikey, et al. educate us. Someone may ask a question which on the surface may appear they are making light of the situation, but underneath they may have a real desire to know. Regardless, it is guaranteed others want to know.
Junior
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