Are you an American?

[BrothaBob]

I think today is a good day to finally bring up a topic that has been bugging me for a while now. If the thought of being ashamed may bother you, do not read on.

After 9/11/2001, the people of the United States became extremely patriotic. Homes everywhere, including my own, put out the American Flag as part of our way of saying "We are all together" and to show our sign that we love our country. Flag companies couldn't make them fast enough to meet the orders. I personally ordered my flag over the internet and it took almost 3 weeks to get it. People had flags everywhere!!!!!

Since that time, I have purchased at least 5 replacement flags for my home to replace ones that suffer the beating of time. I have two flags hanging off my place at the shore, along with a small one in the landscaping and a Red, White and Blue wind sock hanging off my tree. I even made sure I have one on my boat.

Each time I put up a new flag it means something special to me. I even went as far as to ask Wahoo to raise a flag over Venice, LA for me when SF.com did our charity drive. And of course, I sent down a flag kit for someone down there to hang as a reminder that we were thinking about them and how proud I was to be helping a fellow American.

I spend a lot of time on the road and during that time I get to think a lot. I remember seeing a commerical once (post 9/11) that some major corporation did and it stuck with me. The commerical showed a street somewhere that was a normal every day street with the caption "Before 9/11" and then the street with every house having a flag on it with the caption "After 9/11". The commercial was so true. A sense of pride had overcome the nation after 9/11/2001 that made everyone show their support. The terrorist did the complete opposite of what they were trying to achieve. They brought Americans together.

Today, you can drive down an everyday street and not see a flag anywhere. We have service men and women (who were far braver than me at their age) overseas risking their lives every day to make sure that Americans like you and I are safer then we were before and we don't show our support by hanging a flag. I could probably drive through my neighborhood of homes, 168 in total, and probably see less than 10 flags. It truly is shameful.

I love my country, I am honored to be able to hang a flag in front of my home and on my boat.

Hopefully this thread will give people an oppurtunity to think about things on a day that we respect for all those who died on 9/11. Stop by a store on your way home and drop $25 on a new flag and hang it with pride.

So, update this thread with wether or not you have a flag up. Just curious to see how many admit to not having one up.

--- BrothaBob

[DILLIGAF]

Got one in the front yard flying as I type. Don't have one for the boat, though.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

[matey1]

got one flying 24/7 at my house on a 40 ft stainless steel pole. also fly one off the bow every time my boat hits the water.

[Dead Eye]

Had one on the front porch. After the remodling never put it up. Today it went back up.
Thanks, john

[matey8941]

we have one flying off the front porch all the time....but wen it rains i take it in because the red die runs into the white...cheap flag.....we sometimes fly a american flag off the outrigger usually durring the week and then take it down when going fishing or replace it with fish flags

[Tuna Taxi]

I think the real issue is how fickle Americans are and how we become bored with any topic after time, no matter how important. We live such a good life compared to the rest of the world, that we have the luxury of simply changing our mind on how we feel about things like fighting for freedom. It cracks me up how the talking heads on TV talk about how public opinion has gone away from the President and the wars we're fighting for freedom, and the real issue is that the average American cannot remember any significant topic for more than about 2 years. After that, they want the world to change and if it does not they want to blame someone. Hell, if the TV stations can come up with an entirely new season of programming in a year, why can't our military change the Middle East in a year?

I'm one of those that loves America, but is not real crazy about some Americans. These days, you need to take pride in your own patriotism, instill it in your kids, fly your own flag, and speak well of the heros risking their lives each day. If you try to take pride in the actions of others, you will almost certainly be disappointed after patriotism is no longer the "in" thing.

I think everyone who flies the flag is great, keep it up and remind the "socially american" types that some people care.

I'll step off the soap box now. Good topic, thanks for bringing it up.

[turborattler]

Well I will most likely get bash for this but here goes.I agree with you about the flags but what I fine far far worse than that is these companys sending all their work over seas and depriving american jobs when they are so badly needed. And buying materials form over seas to save a buck when they could have been bought right here in the good old USA. Most of you know who I am and I manufacture Fishing lures and I promiss you this all materials I use are bought in the USA and all my lures are made in the USA I am not going to help in depriving an american a job. And what realy chaps my hide is these companys laying off an american to hire a foreigner and I wont say who but you get the idea to save a few dollars. The american now cant pay his bills and loses his vechels , Home and now goes on well fare. And that causes Taxes to go up and the foreigner does not pay taxes and Uncle Sam takes a cut but he will get it from somewhere else and thats out of our pockets so the company gave away an american job and saved a dollar and it ended up costing them 2 in the end. I have nothing against helping out other countrys or imagrants but you must first make sure your own is taken care of you wouldnt give a neighbors kids food in a time of trouble untill your own kids were fed first and then you would feed them. Our Gov needs to make sure we are taken care of first before they go out to save the world. We need to make sure there is no americans with out a job before we give jobs to non tax paying foreigners non tax paying there are some who are doing the right thing and paying taxes just as we do and they are the ones who deserve a break but you can bet on this they will be the one who can speak our language. So I say this Buy usa goods work USA workers lets get america back on her feet so she can fight when she has to. Dont let a dollar that you are going to lose in the end force you to send an american home to work cheep labor.