Respect For Our Flag

[Christian M]

My family and I made plans to spend a couple hours together on the boat Monday. My father is a veteran and proudly served his country, along with his older brother, nephew, and a cousin who just came back from his 3rd tour.

In honor of them & everyone who has served and sacrificed for our nation, I secured a flag to my boat. As I pulled out of the driveway and started down the road, I saw the flag come loose and hit the road. I pulled over & raced into the middle of the road to get our sacred flag up off the ground. I thought for sure on coming traffic would stop to aviod our flag...I stood in the middle of the road on memorial day as 5 cars ran our country's flag over without so much as slowing down. Finally I walked toward it and the sixth car swerved to avoid hitting me. I picked up the flag, brushed it off, and placed it safely in the truck. I have no words to express how disgusted I felt.

[WRB]

Old Glory was flying high after 9/11, everyone was a patriot.

My tour of duty was back in '67, people were wearing or buring the flag and I will never forget being spit on at the LAX airport. War changes people's values, they soon forget what freedom means and stop respecting each other, let alone our flag.

Dust Old Glory off and and fly her high with pride!

Tom

[rockchalk06]

Not trying to be the devils advocate here, but how big was the flag and are you sure they seen it? People loose hundreds of those college or pro team flags off vehicles and they get hammered pretty quick. Maybe they thought it was one of those?

I try to avoid them, but if it says Kstate or anything from Texas, it's roadkill baby

[aquaholic]

Some people are just idiots. I jog through a cemetery and will occasionally see those tiny American flags they put on graves just laying in the road. I always stop and pick them up because just seeing that makes me feel uncomfortable. 

[Tuckahoe Joe]

That's messed up man.  Sorry to hear it.

[deaknh03]

Many people just dont understand the true meaning of our flag. I am bothered when I see tattered flags and flags flown at night with no illumination, both signs of disrespect.

[Christian M]

Old Glory was flying high after 9/11, everyone was a patriot.

My tour of duty was back in '67, people were wearing or buring the flag and I will never forget being spit on at the LAX airport. War changes people's values, they soon forget what freedom means and stop respecting each other, let alone our flag.

Dust Old Glory off and and fly her high with pride!

Tom

Tom, Thank you for your service. My father served in the Army, his brother was a Marine, his nephew is a ranking officer in the Navy, and my cousin was a Reserve. My uncle did a tour in Vietnam around the same time as you and my cousin did 3 tours between Iraq and Afghanistan. I truly appreciate the freedoms that we get to enjoy because of guys like you. Most of us don't think about the sacrifices other people and their families make so that we can do little things like go fishing or watch tv with the family. The least that any of us who hasn't served can do is display our flag proudly and protect it from harm. The flag now resides inside my truck where it can be seen but won't ever be run over again! I'll ask my Dad what he knows about my uncles tour, he passed away about 5 years back and never talked about it.

 

@rockchalk06, the flag is about 4' long, and I was pointing at it, so I would imagine that even at 40mph you would be able to see it and swerve or stop. I just don't think they cared.

[flyfisher]

I am going to also play a little devil's advocate here but if i see a guy on the side of the road pointing to something on the ground my first inclination is to determine if i can avoid it and if not if i can go over it without causing damage and avoid this person who is pointing and goign to most likely come in to the road.  Depending on the rate of speed this is going ot happen pretty quickly.

 

I wouldn't worry about it as i doubt people were doing it on purpose i.e. there is an American flaglet me go see if i can run it over....

 

Also if you want to get technical i was under the impression that flags were only to be flown on a vehicle by being mounted to the chassis or right front fender.  The rules for boats are a little more vague as the original rules were not established with boats in mind.  So before you start making assumptions about other's intents one could easily argue it was your fault in the first place because the flag was not secured properly.

[Nitrofreak]

I am going to also play a little devil's advocate here but if i see a guy on the side of the road pointing to something on the ground my first inclination is to determine if i can avoid it and if not if i can go over it without causing damage and avoid this person who is pointing and goign to most likely come in to the road.  Depending on the rate of speed this is going ot happen pretty quickly.

 

I wouldn't worry about it as i doubt people were doing it on purpose i.e. there is an American flaglet me go see if i can run it over....

 

Also if you want to get technical i was under the impression that flags were only to be flown on a vehicle by being mounted to the chassis or right front fender.  The rules for boats are a little more vague as the original rules were not established with boats in mind.  So before you start making assumptions about other's intents one could easily argue it was your fault in the first place because the flag was not secured properly.

 

He attached it to his boat , not his vehicle , regardless , yes , s**t happens , it was not that he was making assumptions , I don't think that is the case here , had it been me I would have stopped and picked it up , depending on how dangerous the conditions were , or pulled over to retrieve the flag , the point is I think no one else seemed to be the same minded as him or myself for that matter , fault lies within all of us , and within products we may use to attach such items , so without a clear explanation of exactly what happened to cause the flag to dislodge in the first place , I don't think an argument can be made as to whom or what was at fault .

 

Even as bleak as the outlook for the USA is , I am very patriotic , very supportive of our military men and women and their families , past and present , it's a shame that there are not more people who realize exactly what it takes and the sacrifices made to make and keep us a free nation .

 

To me the flag is more than just colors , stripes that represent the colonies , blue to represent the union , stars to represent the states , this flag is much more than that , it's an embodiment that covers us all , it's pride , hard work and determination of the American spirit ,  it covers our soldiers when they are laid to rest , it's neatly folded and presented through the outstretched arms and bowed head of a brother in arms to loved ones as a gift of the embodiment of who once was and what they are at their core .

 

What some do not see , what some do not understand , is what we see and why we can not understand why others do not .

[flyfisher]

Valid points and i do understand, my point was more that it is pretty possible that people didn't know it was a flag until it was to late and just a person who lost something trying to pick it up.

 

and the outlook for the USA is just fine.....and i wouldn't trade being here for anywhere else in the world even with issues that we are all facing.

 

He attached it to his boat , not his vehicle , regardless , yes , s**t happens , it was not that he was making assumptions , I don't think that is the case here , had it been me I would have stopped and picked it up , depending on how dangerous the conditions were , or pulled over to retrieve the flag , the point is I think no one else seemed to be the same minded as him or myself for that matter , fault lies within all of us , and within products we may use to attach such items , so without a clear explanation of exactly what happened to cause the flag to dislodge in the first place , I don't think an argument can be made as to whom or what was at fault .

 

Even as bleak as the outlook for the USA is , I am very patriotic , very supportive of our military men and women and their families , past and present , it's a shame that there are not more people who realize exactly what it takes and the sacrifices made to make and keep us a free nation .

 

To me the flag is more than just colors , stripes that represent the colonies , blue to represent the union , stars to represent the states , this flag is much more than that , it's an embodiment that covers us all , it's pride , hard work and determination of the American spirit ,  it covers our soldiers when they are laid to rest , it's neatly folded and presented through the outstretched arms and bowed head of a brother in arms to loved ones as a gift of the embodiment of who once was and what they are at their core .

 

What some do not see , what some do not understand , is what we see and why we can not understand why others do not .

[A-Jay]

Don't sweat it man - Old Glory is Epically Tough.

 

She turned back Whole Nations.

 

It's going take a whole lot more than a few automobiles to even get her attention.

 

A-Jay

 

[Nitrofreak]

Valid points and i do understand, my point was more that it is pretty possible that people didn't know it was a flag until it was to late and just a person who lost something trying to pick it up.

and the outlook for the USA is just fine.....and i wouldn't trade being here for anywhere else in the world even with issues that we are all facing.

I got your point buddy , everyone's views are usually not equal in strength , maybe they could not see the flag , maybe they could , for the one who believes in the flag as such as we do , to just see it getting run over may be a blinding fact , oblivious to wether or not a driver can or can not see it , avoid or not avoid , in the post it would seem obvious that they could see it if they saw him retrieving it , on the other hand , he mentioned the holiday , traffic most likely was that of people already aggravated and in a hurry to get nowhere and most likely did not give the flag a second thought if in fact they could see it .

I once hit an individual for burning an American flag , who's view was right or wrong ? Right or wrong , I saw what I felt to be a great wrong , not the freedom of another to do so .

[flyfisher]

I got your point buddy , everyone's views are usually not equal in strength , maybe they could not see the flag , maybe they could , for the one who believes in the flag as such as we do , to just see it getting run over may be a blinding fact , oblivious to wether or not a driver can or can not see it , avoid or not avoid , in the post it would seem obvious that they could see it if they saw him retrieving it , on the other hand , he mentioned the holiday , traffic most likely was that of people already aggravated and in a hurry to get nowhere and most likely did not give the flag a second thought if in fact they could see it .

I once hit an individual for burning an American flag , who's view was right or wrong ? Right or wrong , I saw what I felt to be a great wrong , not the freedom of another to do so .

If there were more people with your viewpoint and ability to discuss what could be volatile topics in a constructive manner, we would be in a much better place as a society.

[tomustang]

The nation doesn't care about the flag or celebrating holidays for what they're supposed to be anymore. People care more about themselves in today's world and have forgotten what the flag is or even what memorial day is suppose to be about. This shouldn't be a shock since it's been like this for a while.

[Nitrofreak]

The nation doesn't care about the flag or celebrating holidays for what they're supposed to be anymore. People care more about themselves in today's world and have forgotten what the flag is or even what memorial day is suppose to be about. This shouldn't be a shock since it's been like this for a while.

Not a shock at all considering how long it's been sliding , without turning this into a political post , I will refrain what it is I really want to say , but you are on point , but not the whole nation my friend .

[Sam]

That was a wonderful gesture to put Ole Glory on the boat.

 

If I could figure out how to do it without having it blow off or mess up my fishing I would do it for sure.

 

Remember when Ike got DQ'ed and lost his Ranger sponsorship when he destroyed the American flag attached to his boat when he found out his livewell was not working correctly and he went Ike?  Good move by the tournament committee; dumb move by Ranger. Thank you, Ranger, on behalf of Bass Cat.

 

Please thank everyone in your family for their service. Hope you all are with USAA for your insurance needs. That is one great company and just another perk for placing your life on the line for the dummies in the States.

[Glenn]

Clarification on the Ike incident - he snapped the light pole on the back of the boat, over his knee - not realizing at the moment there was an American flag attached to it. 

 

Yep, dumb antics to be sure, but not intentional malice towards the flag.

 

His dead fish resulted in a weight penalty , but he wasn't DQ'd.  But Ranger later dropped their sponsorship over the incident.

[Nitrofreak]

Clarification on the Ike incident - he snapped the light pole on the back of the boat, over his knee - not realizing at the moment there was an American flag attached to it.

Yep, dumb antics to be sure, but not intentional malice towards the flag.

His dead fish resulted in a weight penalty , but he wasn't DQ'd. But Ranger later dropped their sponsorship over the incident.

That's a shame , did he not later apologize ? If I remember he was pretty upset about it .

[BassnChris]

I am a disabled veteran (mildly) that served 10.5 yrs in the USAF with a tour in Desert Storm.

People tend to not pay attention while driving, so I agree that they were not intentionally trying to disrespect our flag.

Personally speaking........I would rather nobody got hurt as a result of attempting to recover a flag. I hold the flag in the highest of reverence, with a great respect of what it stands for. But I also hold life in even a higher regard.......please never get hurt trying to pick up a flag.

If someone had hit the brakes and swerved to miss the flag very likely could have resulted in a chain reaction of events resulting in injury or death to someone.......just not worth it. I only hit my brakes and swerve to preserve human life. That's just me. Can't trust other fools on the road.

I appreciate your patriotism and your act of homage you were paying your family and vets.........but I appreciate you being alive more,

Thanks