while at Lowes yesterday

[onethatcares]

I walked by a carton of welcome mats with the American flag depicted on them. I was freaking stunned.

On the way out I stopped to talk to the manager on duty and he said "they were probably made and being sold

in tribute for Memorial Day". I told him I didn't want anyone treading on that flag or wiping their muddy shoes or

sandy flipflops on it. Surprisingly, they aren't there anymore.

I recently returned from my dads full military honor burial, the last thing I needed was to see that.

[stlsaxman]

1. Bravo! Though my reasons would be different the intended outcome would be the same.

I would have been pissed off by the phony "hyper-patriotism" on display by the door mats.

You, however, had a sincere, heartfelt and reasonable objection and you expressed/acted on it.

Again, bravo!

[rfranklin]

2. I can't imagine anyone doing that!

[lpbk2713]

30. That was the first thing I thought of.

Captain Chimpy.

[liberal N proud]

3. Its amazing how many people will buy those and still decry other uses of the flag

[MarianJack]

4. The frightening thought is that...

...it was probably done by a rightist manufacter.

I remember in the late 60s in republican land when it was AWFUL that Abbie Hoffman wore an American Flag Shirt but it was OK to for Roy Rogers & Dale Evans to do the same thing.

This also reminds me of some rightist dipstick I saw a few years ago who had American Flag swim trunks at the pool. Apparently nothing says patriotism like skid marks on Old Glory.

Let's not forget the photo of george w moron autographing a small flag.

The cluelessness sometimes amazes me. At least THAT Lowe's had the sense to pull the display.

BTW, please accept my gratitude for your Dad's service to our country.

PEACE!

[baldguy]

5. .

[James48]

6. and I bet they were made in China. n/t

[NewJeffCT]

7. In the days after 9/11

The company I worked for handed out small American flags to everybody - the flags all had labels "Made in China" on them. That just seemed wrong.

[jerseyjack]

8. I believe we are the only country that goes apeshit over "misuse" of the flag.

In the British navy, when a flag is worn out, it is torn up and used as polishing cloth or similar type of use.

Mencken.. when fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and waving a cross."

The flag is a symbol of our ideals. Our focus should be on the ideals.

[Fumesucker]

11. That quote was from Sinclair Lewis "It Can't Happen Here", not Mencken..

Although Mencken had lots of great quotes, that particular one wasn't his.

[pennylane100]

14. It was Lewis Sinclair

[Fumesucker]

16. ...

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sinclair_Lewis

[independentpiney]

20. according to the wiki it's a misattribution nt

[duhneece]

25. "...Our focus should be on the ideals..."

I like that.
They were probably made in China, to boot.

[d_r]

12. In the last two days I've seen two cars driving with an American flag strapped to the antenna

I thought it was being blown around and tattered and looked disrespectful, but I knew the owner thought it was being respectful.

Differences in perception.

One was an Isuzu trooper, the other a subaru.

[GoCubsGo]

18. Car flags are big in my area.

Like these:


Usually, they fly flags representing the college sports teams, but American turn up every once in a while. Usually, when some teabagger is trying to make some sort of statement. There were loads of them after 9/11. Most of them wound up shredded, and I saw several in ditches or on the road. They usually fly one on each side. It reminds me of Nazi staff cars. And, IIRC, it's not a proper way to display the flag according to flag etiquette.

[d_r]

34. yep.

saw another one today, on a Toyota.

[Vinca]

9. To add insult to injury, I bet they were made in China.

[malthaussen]

10. I get the same feeling when someone flies the flag in the rain

... or other inclement weather. And I get especially offended when a corporation orders the National flag to fly at half-mast when one of the corporate VIPs dies. And don't get me started on the American flags on everyone's lapel -- even on uniforms for sports referees. At the risk of evoking Godwin's law (and probably causing offense to many), those lapel pins constantly remind me of an armband that was in vogue a few years ago in Central Europe...

Patriotism is not something you wear.

-- Mal

[GoCubsGo]

17. Or flies them from the roofs of their cars.

Usually, they're shredded to bits. It was a really popular thing to do around here right after 9/11, and when the teabaggers were at their peak. And, the people who do this shit are usually the first ones screaming for a constitutional amendment to make it illegal to burn the flag. Ignorant jackasses.

[malaise]

13. Deepest sympathy on the death of your dad

[MrYikes]

15. My sympathy also for your loss, but

that military burial was heartfelt, just, meaningful and awesome. Wasn't it?

[GoCubsGo]

19. I'm so sorry to hear aboaut your father.

Thank you for speaking up. I hope they didn't just stick them in back for a while for future sale, hoping you don't complain again.

[pennylane100]

21. Respect for one' s country is shown by how we treat our citizens and respect our neighbors.

Standing on a door mat with a flag on it means very little to me.

If we really want to honor our troops, we would stop sending them of to fight bogus wars that are waged to keep our bloated defense industry corporations rich. We would take better care of them when they came home wounded, jobless and homeless. We have waged so many senseless wars and propped up so many dictators of oil rich countries, that we have bought dishonor on our flag and
ourselves. And I do not see us restoring our honor any time soon.

[Capt. Obvious]

22. I wonder what part of the store he moved the mats to

[LaurenG]

26. lol - I know. nt

[Maraya1969]

23. I don't shop at Lowes since they pulled their adds from "American Muslim"

the TV show. I shop at Ace hardware or Home Depot.

[TexasProgresive]

31. HomeDepot is RRRRREEEEDDDDD!

Lowes may've dropped ads from American Muslim but they don't support Pukes and they treat their employees better.

[otohara]

24. I'm Still Boycotting Lowes

over the TV show about American Muslims.

ACE is at least franchised.

[AlbertCat]

27. ACE is at least franchised.

But the ACE went out of business here.... because of the new Lowes.

[Johnny Noshoes]

28. These are what you get

when the flag is plastered EVERYWHERE.....

[bullwinkle428]

32. Word. Rampant nationalism + capitalism = trashed flags. Hey wing-nuts, you guys

can't have it both ways! Either it's sacred, or it's something you exploit to fill your greedy coffers.

[Left coast liberal]

29. Yeah! And, they were probably made in China. nt

[laundry_queen]

33. Ah, so you haven't seen the flip flop flags then...

I lived along the Alaska Highway in northern BC at one point. Lots of seniors going through with their RVs heading to Alaska. July 4th was always interesting when walking around town - all the Americans all decked out in their flag gear. The one lady I'll never forget not only had a flag hat, and a flag mani/pedi and a patriotic t-shirt, she also had flag flip flops - one had stars and the other had stripes. I remember thinking - way to honor your flag....walk on it with your sweaty feet all day.

[cynatnite]

35. Honestly, there is worse out there depending on point of view...

The flag has been on underwear, wrote on, burned and used in about every way you can think of.

I can understand your discomfort given the circumstances, but that mat was just another form of expression.

[onethatcares]

36. thanks for the expressions of sympathy re: my dad

I wish I would have known him better and I wish he would have known me better but that ain't gonna happen in this lifetime. A loss for both of us.

He was a radio operator on a PBY in the south pacific during ww2.

My thoughts about the flag run the gamut of being able to burn it as a free speech expression to being able to wear it in a respectful manner (not as a t-back, or used as a floor mat)

Peace to you all, and again, thanks.

[progressoid]

37. I know a RWer that bitches about desecrating the flag,

and then uses flag napkins for Independence Day BBQ.

For your Dad: