[soapbox]

Perhaps you have read pakrat's post about helping a soldier's family?  Well, I took up a collection here at the office for this.  Why?  Let me tell you why I thought I would be succesful:

In the days immediately following 9/11, our group (approx. 35 people) donated $1000 in 6 hours to buy supplies for those that were working ground zero.  I was privelaged enough to be able to use my truck to go shopping and load it up with $1000 worth of supplies that were needed and then drop it off at the local police department to be delivered to ground zero that night.

I was so impressed by my colleagues.

So, I take up a collection to help the family of a soldier currently in Afghanistan who is in trouble.  Out of 35 people, [b]NOT ONE[/b] gave me money.  One person even told me they thought I was running a scam![pissed]

Six months ago, there were American flags all over this office.  Six months ago, there were American flags waving from every car on the road.  Six months ago, every business had a flag or a 9/11 picture of some sort in their windows.

Today, there are no more flags in this office except mine (which someone jokingly stopped and asked if they should recite the pledge of allegiance - I replied a stone cold YES).  Today, I saw a faded American Flag bumper sticker that had a new parking permit sticker on top of it.  Today, no one cares about a faceless stranger who is taking enemy fire in some godforsaken far away land.

[USA]

FMJunkie
Tell us how you really feel.

Disgusted, hopeless, impotent maybe?

How do you feel?

I am with you brother. Just a little sarcasm!

Give it another 6 months and the flag burners will be back in action.

I know, I wasn't offended...

I'm not at all surprised.  People have a very short attention span...now they're back to the important things such as Oprah, the Oscars, etc.  Morons.

My American Flag flies PROUDLY outside
my home and will continue to fly,war or no war


(edited to say that I agree with you folks)

Less than a week ago I was at work helping a foreign individual from a different department with some software related issues.
We agreed we would have to meet later in the afternoon, he asked where my cubicle was located. I told him the general location and added that there is a large American flag hung on the outer wall and that he couldn’t miss it.
The individual jokingly replied; “Oh, you are one of those patriotic types?”
I replied with a fixed stare and the increased feeling of a red face. He back stepped “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that.”

Yes, I am “one of those”.

You know, maybe there can be a positive turn to this post...

If anyone has witnessed a recent "positive" act of patriotism or just plain caring about someone else, please post it!

Home is where the guns are.
I like that one.That's cool and funny;and true
for me too.I can relate.

The most positive recent occurrance is my 16 yr old daughter getting excited about seeing the women recruits at the Parris Island special they had on TV the other night (TLC maybe?). She was especially intrigued about qualifying on the rifle range.

Unfortunately for most of this country, we will probably have another attack of major proportions before they wake up and remember that this is the Real World, not the show on MTV.

This country has been conditioned for decades to respond to instant everything and sound bites.  We as a nation have lost the ability to consider anything important unless it's in our face on a daily basis.

How do you think that the government can keep getting away with the crap that it does.  If the people remembered the previous outrage from last month, how do you think they could get away with the one to come next month?

I agree that it's disgusting for love of country to considered a "fad", but you have to remember that to most people, they've been conditioned to belive that EVERYTHING changes and that things that don't are "old fashioned".  Why do you think so many people consider the Constitution to a "flexible document" rather than a foundational one?

We, as a society, & our government, as an institution, have the attention span of a three year old.  Our greatest friends are those who will help us NOW.  Just because they may have helped us in the past doesn't mean that we will remember them in the future.  ... a serious lack of loyalty by us & lack of future loyalty by yesterday's friends...

I still have an American Flag outside my house. My father hung it there 16 years ago, and the flag is replaced every year. It's NEVER going to be taken down.

I also have a flag magnent on the back of my truck. I replace it when it gets worn.

The school district I work for still has 9/11/01 signs in the windows, and flags are still hanging in the classrooms.

Av.

There are still flags, bumper stickers and pro-American, anti-Osama T shirts aplenty around here.

I'm glad to hear that!


(Wouldn't you think that HERE, within EYESIGHT of ground zero would be a place I could make that statement about?)

Not if I'm around.



Just looked out the window.

My flag is still flying.

And it always will.

Well dude, it still comes back to the fact you live in freaking New Jersey...
[;)]

I will have an American flag on my vehicle for the rest of my life.  America - love it or get the f*ck out.

I've never been prouder to be an American, but those who aren't are truly an embarassment.

I am ashamed to admit it but I could have been more patriotic in the past.  I have failed to fly my flag as often as I should.  That changed 9/11.  Permanently.  Never before in my lifetime has my country been attacked by a foreign enemy (was born after WWII).  I didn't like it one darn bit and my memory is long.  I am still pissed.  I am likely to remain that way forever.  Never missed an election although I have certainly voted for some wrong people.   I hope that my fellow countrymen who were more focused on such things will forgive me and accept my apology and my current fervor.

A large flag decal is on the rear window of my truck cap.  One flys on my front porch 24/7, lighted.  My flag pole was blown down recently in a storm and is not yet fully repaired, in part because the weather has not been fit to fly my flag anyway.

I have not forgotten, nor will I.  My contribution is so small as to be meaningless but it will continue.  An e-mail to a friend on duty in Turkey and helping his family is the best I can muster at the moment.  Attempts to help other understand what is at stake and what is required.  Maybe other opportunites will come my way.  

When the next attack happens, and it will, I am ready to care for myself and my friends.  I will continue to support our actions in the war.  I am too old for the military but will fight to the death to defend my family, country and friends.

I regret that the next attack or the one after  may be required for many Americans to see the light, to understand just how serious this is, who the enemy REALLY is, what their goals are.  Just how many must die, what must we suffer in order to find ourselves again?

I call it "Closet Patriotism".

They only bring it out of the closet when it's fashionable.

Jay
[img]http://www.commspeed.net/jmurray/images/iroc-cop.gif[/img]

I live in NJ.  I've flown a flag in front of my house every day.  I must pass 500 flags on my 20 mile drive to & from work.  One guy's still got a  20 foot wide wooden one he built that lights up at night.  Every night.

Some NJ jokes are cute because they have an element of truth, but DON'T BE A DICKHEAD.  After New York State, the vast majority of casualties in the WTC attack were NJ people.  Every time I go to a shooting match, somebody's got a story about it.  Either themself, a friend or a neighbor.  How many of your shooting buddies were you worried about when the towers fell?

Norm, chill out. It was a joke, hence the winking smilie.  You seem to take this very personally and I am sorry if something I said pushed your button.

I guess some things you don't think about until something happens. It isn't a fad to fly the flag after 9/11 maybe people just felt the need to show unity and patriotism. Kind of like you don't appreciate your mom or dad until one of them passes away. Would it be hypocritical to place flowers on their grave even though it would seem to have made more sense to show them that appreciation while they were alive? One of those things of life I guess, taking it for granted. It's human nature.

My flag has flown 24/7 everyday since 9/11. On my street of about 20 homes, about 8 or 9 still fly every day. What's strange to me is that my neighbor across the street who is a Vietnam vet has never in the 12 years I've lived there even owned a flag. He's not bitter about the service either. I guess some people don't feel one way or the other about it.

Well, I have to say that The American Flag has been in my car, on my husbands car, flying at my home and even decorates my home wellllll before 9/11, on 9/11 and will continue until I die!!! 9/11 was and is still horrific. Donations may not be able to be made by all of us but "thoughts" and/or "Prayers" will always be there!