City removes all American flags to save money

[cbelt3]

A local town has a 'boulevard of 500 flags'. The same town is also very cash strapped due to some underhand financial manipulations by the lastmayor (who is currently in jai). A major windstorm blew away half the flags. They could not afford to replace them, and put out an appeal. Private donors took care of the whole thing. Clearwater should have appealed to the populace. It works.

[silvarios]

Mr Downtown wrote:
Why is there a need to display flags in parks and at swimming centers? Is there a risk that visitors will not know what country they're in?

Yeah. Seriously. Do Americans not know what country they are in when moving about? I can understand USA embassies abroad, border towns, etc. I can understand state flags near state borders. Otherwise, I don't get it.


Nathan

[cbelt3]

silv, it's all about personal and civic pride.

[Mac1337]

It is a tradition. In most countries flags represent the government. In America it represents the country. In my travels I have not seen people display the flag of their country outside their homes. Also in the spirit of Internationale and world proletariat displaying flags is considered jingoistic among certain circles.

[RgrF]

It's a prelude to privatizing the erection of flagpoles and their use. Look for the day you can fly your own flag from the highest pole in town if you outbid the other guy.

It's really just a new wrinkle in the "naming rights" game. It reaches the height of irony when the company gets the city to subsidize the new poles and then sells naming rights, not unlike what's already the fact at many sports venues.

[decocritter]

I bet Clearwater and every other city/county/state/fed government wastes more money on more idiotic crap than the American Flag and a steel flag pole lasts forever. They probably spend more on a couple of lunches.

Pretty soon we won't be able to have a flag displayed in public, show any pride or allegiance to our country, or call ourselves American .....

[Grateful11]

decocritter wrote:

Pretty soon we won't be able to have a flag displayed in public, show any pride or allegiance to our country, or call ourselves American .....

Wow when I read that one I thought surely it had to be written by Rush.

[Lee3]

Sounds like the Scientologists took over the government.
Put up a cross and see what happens.

[threeprong]

The people of Clearwater have spoken... or have failed to speak... either way, the city has taken action.

[silvarios]

Grateful11 wrote: Wow when I read that one I thought surely it had to be written by Rush.

Yeah. Wow! I am going to assume that post was a really good attempt at sarcasm.