I knew it was coming up, but almost forgot it was today. Other than seeing it in tiny print on a monthly calendar, I would’ve totally forgotten Flag Day.
What’s the point of Flag Day? Apparently it was made to celebrate the day of the adoption of the original 13 stars and 13 stripes flag as the national flag.
and Betsy Ross and that whole schtick (though no Hans Sprungfeld was there, I’m sure–thanks Simpsons)
But the movement came long after the flag was obsolete as in the late 1880s. Supposedly, it’s to celebrate and remember people who died in the service of our country.
Okay… but what do we do with Flag Day in the 21st century?
We have Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Veterans Day, (and by extension for the uber-patriots Normandy D-Day anniversary, the Pearl Harbor anniversary… hey, how come we don’t do V-J day, too?) …. do we still need Flag Day?
Other than a first wave of American flags being available in stores (the second wave being for the 4th of July), I haven’t seen much of anything about Flag Day. Unless somebody loves calendars and trivia, I’ve never seen or heard anybody go “happy flag day!” to another person. Hell, I think most stores just happen to get their supply of American flags for the 4th of July around that time and that’s the only reason they’re there.
Seriously, other than bank and postal closures (not an issue being it’s on Sunday this year), who else recognizes it? I don’t recall any Flag Day events in my house or neighborhood or town.
We got rid of acknowledging Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s birthday and just combined them into President’s Day.
So why not get rid of Flag Day?
Why do we still have it?
And frankly, seeing the profound love of symbols (made in Taiwan or Vietnam or China more often than not) versus the freedoms they’re supposed to represent in glaring color the past decade…
…I’m all for one less meaningless holiday on the calendar that few even remember is there unless they glance at the calendar that week.
So, should we just get rid of Flag Day? Or find something better to use the day for?
Floor’s yours…
The Chatty Introvert 
I can’t remember the last time I noticed Flag Day, or even that there was such a thing.
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That’s a good question. I don’t even remember when Flag day was enacted, but my guess is that it was one politician trying to “out-love-America” more than the other. Jingoism is a dangerous thing and becomes obvious the more a nation-state becomes fearful of it’s place in the world–its so-called identity. America: love it or leave it sort of thing.
Remember when George Dubya’s Gulf War was big? If you questioned the war–which was based on a HUGE LIE–then you were immediately asked: “You’re not a patriot?” It was scary. And the whole business of buying a full sized flag and flying it sky-high in the front yard became a big deal in the south. Still is. My stepfather, bless his heart, was a WW II veteran, loved his country, but we never flew a flag in the front yard. We didn’t have to. We were Americans.
Thank you for this post! 🙂
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