Bush Turns Americans Against Flying the Flag
There’s a way to see how America feels about itself without opinion polls: Count how many flags fly on the 4th of July.After decades in the flag business, Randolph Smith, president of Chicago-based Advertising Flag Co. Inc., said he has seen interest in the flag ebb and flow, according to the general sentiment people have about the country’s direction.
Immediately following the 9-11 attacks, for example, U.S. flag sales accounted for 25 percent of his business. Today, it’s about 16 to 18 percent and has been declining since 2003, he said.
“When people are feeling better about the country they buy more flags,” Smith said. “It was like this during the Nixon years. It wasn’t our bread and butter then either.”
Kimberly Sklarz, corporate secretary for Bartlett, Ill.-based FlagsUSA, said the run-up to the July 4 holiday, normally a busy time, has been particularly slow this year. The company’s U.S. flag sales were down 49 percent in June over the same period last year.
“It is a very sad time right now. We are just kind of baffled by how things are going and all because of the war,” Sklarz said. “We expected it to make some kind of effect on the company, but it is getting pretty bad.”
Immediately following the 9-11 attacks, for example, U.S. flag sales accounted for 25 percent of his business. Today, it’s about 16 to 18 percent and has been declining since 2003, he said.
“When people are feeling better about the country they buy more flags,” Smith said. “It was like this during the Nixon years. It wasn’t our bread and butter then either.”
Kimberly Sklarz, corporate secretary for Bartlett, Ill.-based FlagsUSA, said the run-up to the July 4 holiday, normally a busy time, has been particularly slow this year. The company’s U.S. flag sales were down 49 percent in June over the same period last year.
“It is a very sad time right now. We are just kind of baffled by how things are going and all because of the war,” Sklarz said. “We expected it to make some kind of effect on the company, but it is getting pretty bad.”
Rajiv Bhushan:
Today is Independence Day. Today Americans across the country will show great reverence for an empty symbol, while showing disdain for a worthwhile principle. We celebrate with great fervor the signing of the Declaration of Independence, while showing absolute contempt for the ideas expressed therein.
Malcom LagaucheToday is Independence Day in the United States. On this day, one will see more U.S. flags than on any other day of the year. Flags here, flags there, flags everywhere — on car bumper stickers; ties; pins; hats; socks; pencils and pens. You name it, and it has been transformed into a U.S. flag. One’s patriotism is measured by how many flags he/she displays. If there is no flag, the person is looked upon with suspicion. Today, the U.S. is inundated with "God and country," and the number of flags and flag-oriented memorabilia now in vogue reflects the affinity for the red/white/blue piece of cloth. The U.S. flag is a sacred item to many Americans, even though a substantial number are made in China. However, the same flag-waving and flag-loving individuals have no sympathy for foreign countries. To them, their flags mean nothing...A case in point is the Iraqi flag. During Bremer’s regime as viceroy of Iraq, he changed the flag to one that resembled the Israeli flag. Just like that, he told the Iraqis they now had a new flag. Fortunately, even the quislings did not accept this edict and the Iraqis just ignored it.
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 4:42 PM
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