Ranting and Raving

[Ubu]

This is the place to vent your frustrations.  Have at it!!

Post your rant here.

[TeeBubbaDee]

I think she learned that from Larry Kremis.

[Ruby Red Crystal]

Can you believe a young man....high school age...was offered a flag sticker in honor of Flag Day said..."what's flag day?" When we tried to explain it to him he said "unh uh"  I am so pissed right now I can't see straight. I hope his grandparents who were with him explain it to him in epic detail. 

GRRRRRR! 

[d's girl]

This is probably going to put you over the edge, RRC, but I don't know what Flag Day is. 

[Snagg]

Red, have you ever heard my story about the perfectly pleasant drugstore clerk and July 20th, 2009...?

[Ruby Red Crystal]

Nope Snagg...please share.

 

Thanks for sharing guys....I guess I grew up knowing that June 14th was Flag Day, I have heard of some towns that use this day to 'retire' flags that are in disrepair. There is a ceremony and everything. 

 

[Quinn]

They retire flags here...did it this morning. The ceremony took about an hour.

It's a nice thing to do.

[Snagg]

Almost two years ago, on July 20th, 2009, I was filling out a check at a CVS pharmacy, and the late teens/early twenties clerk helpfully offered that it the 20th.

I thanked her and said, "I already knew the date, sweetie. Big history buff here." She gave me one of those "Huh?" smiles, a little nervous, and I said "July 20th, 1969? Big Day in world history?"

Total blankness on her part. I suggested, "Neil Armstrong? 'One Small Step For Man'...?"

Nothing. That's when I told her about Apollo 11, "The Eagle Has Landed", the First Man On The Moon and all of that other stuff.

She stared at me for a second - And then burst out laughing, gently slapped my arm and said "Get outta here! We ain't been to no Moon!"

 

I couldn't believe it. I asked her if she was joking, and she stopped smiling. I assured her that it had happened, and I asked her if she was one of those conspiracy types who didn't believe that it was all a big fake. She got even more flustered, jabbering that she had no idea what I was talking about, and I could tell that she was starting to get embarrassed. I told her that it was okay, gently suggested that she google "Apollo 11" when she got a chance, thanked her and left.

Then I went out and sat in my car and thanked providence that I had a smart, well-rounded kid.

[Quinn]

Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 [the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777] - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Back in the 50s many, if not most houses would put out a flag on flag day. But the observance slowly died off until recently.  It seems to have become popular again. But, I doubt that most Americans know what it is all about. 

[d's girl]

Thank you, Quinn. That was interesting. I didn't know the history of Flag Day.

[Aggie]

[Snagg]

I tried a similar speech when I accidentally set fire to the local grade school, but the authorities were not impressed. It's all about the context, I guess.