Many people don't know an upside down flag is a signal of distress.

[Cyrano]

Veterans and many others know this. But too many people don't.

Tonight, I broke two of my rules. (1) "Never argue with a drunk." (2) "Never argue with a drunk who is also a screaming asshole."

Hit by a munchies attack, I went out to a nearby bar for a pizza slice. Some drunk near me was informing another drunk that "Ya fly a flag upside down, ya don't respect dick shit."

There are times to speak, shut up, or walk away. I mistakenly chose to speak and explain to this neanderthal the meaning of an upside down flag. He didn't get it. Worse yet, he went on to talk about "... our guys in the delta in Nam." He was in his 30s and knew as much about "the delta in Nam" as I know about foreplay on Mars.

Fortunately for everyone, the barmaid is a very husky lesbian who doesn't take crap from anyone. (I've spoken of her previously on this board.) She "escorted" them out and when she came back, she said there were cops parked outside, the two of them tried to drive away, and the last she saw, they were being cuffed. (She got her usual round of applause from the regulars.)

But the real point here, and the saddest part, is that there are far too many people who don't know what an upside down flag means, and don't know it's more fitting to fly it that way today than at any time in our nation's history. I never thought that would be so.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Yes, and far too many people don't realize our country is in distress!

[YOY]

2. I love the ass-clown's 'Nam comment

I wonder what Tahitinut (or one of our other Vietnam vets here) would throw back at "Mr. 'Git 'R Dun"...

I love it when redneck idiots go to jail...

[niyad]

3. it is very sad indeed. I remember when all the little rw's were screaming

in the 60's that the hippies were desecrating the flag--and yet they now proudly wear it as headbands, purses, jeans, shirts, hats, etc, without blinking an eye, and telling themselves they are being oh-so-patriotic.

[progdonkey]

5. but only a REAL patriot

wears boxers with the Stars and Stripes!

There's surely no greater way to show your love for the Flag than to sit your fat hick ass on it.... :smoke:

[Mnemosyne]

4. These same asshats are the ones flying shredded flags too.

Pitiful the ignorance about true respect for the flag.

I am stunned by the number of flags in horrible condition that I see. They look like old dishrags. If they want to really give an impression of their fake patriotism the least they could do is show respect to the flag they claim to love so much.

I'm not much on flags, but hypocricy really pisses me off.

[madokie]

6. I fly the flag, a USA made one, and I show it the respect for which

it stands. :hi:

[Mnemosyne]

13. Thank you madokie! It frustrates the hell out of me

to see those shredded flags flying. Maybe it is good though as it truly represents the state of our nation.:hi:

[TheCentepedeShoes]

7. We fly the flag on our house

and when it gets the least bit worn we get a new one. Mr 'pede won't fly it upside down although the next replacement may be a Gadsden flag.

[RagAss]

11. I have a Gadsden sticker on my truck....

...it confuses the shit out of rednecks.....

[Mnemosyne]

14. That's good to hear TCS! n/t

:hi:

[northofdenali]

8. Flaming assholes like that generally don't get it -

regardless of the topic or the intelligence of the speaker!!

You should ask the bartender to join us here on DU - sounds like a great person. Did you laugh your butt off about the idiots? I would have!

No, I'd say most people have no idea what the upside down flag means. I've had a lot of them stop and tell me that the flag sticker on my vehicle is on wrong. At least it gives me a chance to try to explain it.

And, like you, I don't try to explain anything to drunks!

[Cyrano]

9. Actually, this post wasn't about respect for the flag.

It was about the meaning of its being flown upside down.

Many DUers chose this as their Avatar as a powerful protest against the criminals who have seized control of our country. It's an Avatar that is wholly appropriate and fitting.

But I did a post a few days ago about how I felt about the flag. It's a piece of cloth. During my time in the service, I did not consider myself being there for a piece of cloth, but for what that piece of cloth stands for: The Constitution.

To demonstrate that it was "just a piece of cloth," I used an old comedy routine performed by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. (Someone has recently pointed out that my lines were a bit off, but you'll get the idea.)

Brooks and Reiner did a routine called "The Two Thousand Year Old Man." Brooks was the old man and Reiner was an interviewer. At one point, Brooks says, "... and we also invented national anthems."

Reiner asks, "What did they sound like?"

Brooks replies, "Well, mine went like this. (singing) Hooray for cave 76. Fuck everybody else."

My feeling for the flag is right in line with Brooks' anthem. It's what that flag stands for is what really matters. But having said this, everyone who has chosen the inverted flag Avatar understands better than most the danger our country is in. Perhaps we should all be using it.

On edit: I don't mean to demean any one else's feeling about the flag. This post just represents my own personal feelings and I respect your views.

[Cyrano]

10. Umm, looks like my previous post brought a screeching halt to this thread

so I may as well say this.

I don't need any flags on my car to demonstrate -- whatever the hell it is that I'm supposed to be demonstrating. And neither do you.

Do right by yourselves. Don't wear your patriotism on your sleeve or your car. Know in your heart what you believe and who and what you are. If you do, you will never feel a need to demonstrate it to others.

I believe that my lack of reverence for a flag has offended some of you. My having been in the military doesn't mean I'm "a better American" than anyone else. Don't ever let any vet throw that kind of crap at you. Nobody wanted to be there. It's just the way things turned out.

[allalone]

12. I put the flag stamp upside down

when I mail a letter.