Wave That Banner

“Long may that star spangled banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave”

For years every time I drive from Keysville to Farmville on Highway 15 I make it a point to slow down at Pete Amos’ shop to admire his large American Flag. 

I salute and drive on.

The American flag always inspires me and Pete’s location is outstanding. If you haven’t noticed it slow down, it is on the east side of Hwy 15 about eight miles from Keysville.

BUT look fast, Prince Edward County has passed something banning any flag over 40 square feet. I am still looking into this but until I get the facts I have a few thoughts. 

I believe the Prince Edward Board passed this measure in an attempt to limit OTHER large flags that some people find offensive.  Without documentation I do not believe yet that their action was an attempt to ban the American Flag.  

 My opinion is that,

ANY FLAG ORDINACE OR LIMITATION SHOULD NOT INCLUDE OUR AMERICAN FLAG OR OUR VIRGINIA FLAG.

Anyone who is offended by either is living in the wrong state or country. 

It is up to them to correct that. It is not our responsibility to cater to their sensitive fragile opinions.

In Any Case 

Banning large flags in agricultural areas is misguided at best, unpatriotic and an assault on American Freedom. While all flags may be considered as signs and as such fall under any sign regulations, there must be a solution that doesn’t force Americans to fly smaller flags than they choose.

As a side issue, any American flag that includes ANYTHING except stars and stripes does become a sign. Printing any message of any kind on an American flag is a violation of flag conduct, is unpatriotic, anti-American and downright rude.

As I wrote last week, I believe the increase in Confederate flags is a push-back against the people who are insisting they should never see or hear anything that offends them.

These people aren’t concerned with the rights of anyone else.

That being said, those of us who don’t care about political correctness still have the same rights as anyone else.

I am not a big fan of those flying rectangular pseudo Confederate flags whether they are intended to represent Heritage or Hate because those of us seeing them don’t know which reason they represent. 

As a friend of mine told me years ago when his car broke down (this was before cell phones) in front of a house flying a Confederate flag, “I figured it was probably heritage not hate BUT a smart Black man isn’t going to ask.” He walked several miles to another house.

If and when I decide to fly any flag other than an American flag or install any sign of any kind, I want my message to be clear.

Charge all of the Crooks

Representative George Santos has just been charged with a variety of campaign violations. Good. If he is guilty he should be charged, convicted and removed from office as well as face other punishments.

My problem is that it seems that only Republicans are being charged with crimes and violations. 

How about some bipartisan investigations? 

Let’s remove ALL of the crooks regardless of their political affiliation.