We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Below is the post from two years ago. I haven't seen any recognition of today, Flag Day, in the media. Indeed, the provenance of Flag Day is under dispute. Is Flag Day a forgotten holiday? -- BTW, June 14, 2012 is the 237th birthday of the US Army. Go doggies!
Courtesy of the Romney campaign:
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There are many ways to view the US flag.Jules Crittendon offers this, along with an extensive list of books worth reading:
So what does our adoption of the anthem say about the American character? A quirk of historical circumstance made Key's perspective from captivity available to us. But the symbolism of maintaining hope through darkness works with the American character and American ideals and, raw wartime patriotism aside, may explain why the poem and song became wildly popular when it was published less than two weeks after the failed attack on Fort McHenry on 7-8 September 1814, and only four days after Key's release on the 16th, and why it remained popular for more than a century before it became the national anthem.
The flag is more than just an identifier of our nation, it represents those principles and ideals that are sacred, that are worth paying the ultimate price for, and that have been paid for many times over. It represents everything that is good about what our country stands for. The flag is a promise of freedom; freedom to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom from oppression, whether religious, social or economic. The freedom to build a better life for yourself and your family. It is this promise that has brought people to the United States since its inception, and a promise to defend those freedoms wherever they are threatened.
I consider myself honored to be a representative of my nation and its flag, representing and defending the freedom and justice we all strive to stand for. Many Americans have paid the ultimate price to ensure my country's continued existence, I only hope that my actions and the way I live my life reflect well upon them and myself.
June 14, 1968's Flag Day fell on a Friday.I was about to graduate college, and enter the MBA program at NYU. I felt guilty at not serving in the military instead of going on to grad school. I and a group of friends decided to parade around college with the flag, and many joined us.The following Fall, I left NYU and enlisted in the Marine Corps.Below is a photo from the student newspaper of the beginning of our impromptu Flag Day parade and of a poem I later found in Leatherneck magazine, clipped and saved.
This morning, I, my son, and his friends who slept over last night went out in front of the house and raised the flag. Hold the Flag high, and pass it on.
My Grandmother (Granpa had passed away) bought a somewhat oversized (8' long) Flag in June, '59 (I was born later that month).
It's a bit fragile now, and she's long gone, but it's still here - and it went up @ 0600 Hours today, as it does every Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veteran's Day, and (since 2002) Sept. 11 & April 4th (her Birthday)
Flag Day is special to me, since I was born on Flag Day 1928, and I was about six or seven before I realized that those lovely parades and music weren't for my birthday. My first great disillusionment. As I've gotten older, I've tried each year to accustom myself to getting older by beginning to say, around March or April, that I'm whatever age I'm going to be on June 14. Been doing it this year too. So by now I'm used to the March of Father Time because I've already said I'm 81. I've never been able to understand women who don't admit their age when asked. I always do, because it proves I'm smart enough and lucky enough to be a survivor, in spite of some dumb decisions and bad luck along the way.
So here's to surviving, and trying to thrive too. I'll celebrate your birthdays if you'll celebrate mine, and our beloved country's.
Well HBD MM. I have the opposite experience, having been born on 4/15 tax day...OTOH, it was also a Palm Sunday so I've taken to celebrating twice, when possible. When asked how old I am, I like to tell people I've had 91 birthdays to celebrate.
Happy Birthday Marianne, and Meta. Roses and pearls to the both of you.
I like to think I have the sweetest little tax deduction,born Dec. 30 1989. Uncle Sam got one day and I got the rest. Hope you both had a great day!!
Flag Day e-mails to/from friends and family serving in Iraq, etc. plus Obama coming to Chicago tomorrow to address the AMA reminds me: the government has done a lousy, awful job of taking care of its veterans (don't start me) and the Native Americans whom it agreed by treaty to provide with HC. Those AIs fortunate enough to live on oil-rich lands can afford to supplement this lack, but many cannot...and I see those frequently.
My only experience with longterm Medicaid was when our family took was an emergency site for foster children for several years and our pediatrician didn't bother billing the Dept. of Children & Family Services...too much paperwork for the time spent. My only experience with Medicare to date was a blinking disaster. Most docs won't take on a new patient under Medicare because, once again, its just not worth the hassle. your internist better not retire before you reach 65 and good luck finding a specialist, even in urban areas.
Why don't the pols get our vets, our native population, the poor and the elderly under control before they interfere in the private sector. Why? Because they are covered by entirely different insurance and have NO EXPERIENCE with what we face daily. None, zilch, nada.
Instead, they CAN make insurance forms uniform to ease the cost of administration. They CAN force providers to post the cost of their menu of services. They CAN encourage sites that compare costs per diagnosis given adjustments for region. They CAN transfer the tax deduction to the person cpvered-and-purchasing-services to that person sees the cost-of-doing-business with a particular provider. (How many of us buy a product without knowing the cost in advance? Or the potential mark-ups for changes?)
Many have had it. Several acquaintences have moved out of the country once they retire and even more are going over to Asia for healthcare. Don't the pols get it? This is one huge leak of an educated, valuable population with much to contribute.
Although British I was brought up to recognise the American flag for what it is...the flag of freedom and of a friend,probably old fashioned views but what can I say?
