American youth...lost? Please read.

[JAL]

On my to work yesterday evening I was at a red light next to a Mc Donald's. One that a frequent sometimes on my way. While at the red light I observed a young employee, maybe 16, 17 or 18 taking down the American flag. He removed it from the pole and crumpled it up and left it on top of a bush while he proceeded to take down the Mc'd's flag. I felt very disturbed. So my light turns green and I yell over to the kid to "Learn how to do it properly and treat it with respect..." The guy behind me, a hippy looking older guy in an even older Mercedes starts honking. I told him to shut up. He kept beeping so I got out of my car and said "Shut up or I'll smack your ****ing teeth in." Probably not the best move. He never sdaid a word after that.

My luck and there's two under cover cops a couple cars back. A female officer approches me and asks what's going on. I told her about the flag. She said it's OK, she knows, she has a special spot in her heart for the flag too. I said "So do I, read my back window." My back window has the college style United States Marine Corps. sticker on it. She read it and said her son is a Marine, I think she immediately knew why I was mad. She laughed, patted me on the arm and left.

I find it troubling that some American youth have a complete lack of respect for our colors. Maybe it's me, maybe I'm pyscho. Maybe it's the 2 years I spent on the 1st Marine Division Color Guard traveling the country guarding that very flag and meeting some of the greatest warriors of generations past. Here is a copy of the email I sent in to Mc D's corporate site.
______________________________ _______________
"While at a red light next to a Mc Donald's yesterday evening on my way to work, I noticed a young employee taking down the American flag. I was very appalled at what I saw. The American flag should be folded up neatly, it should not be balled up and left on top of a bush while the other flags are being taken down. I find this unsettling and to be a complete lack of respect towards what those colors mean, stand for and give us as a free country.

My letter is not some patriotic bandwagon rant. I spent four years in the United States Marine Corps. and if I learned one thing, it is to point out something that is wrong regardless of consequence.

Please take the time to review your practice of doing "Evening Colors." Teach these young men and women the "correct" way of folding the American flag and putting it away properly. This is something that should be passed down from generation, it should not be lost.

Semper Fidelis,

Jeff Lisowski"
______________________________ _______________

Any thoughts...?

Jeff

[merc406]

The act of one doesn't make it the act of all the youth out their.
The letter to McD's was warranted as that act was done at one of their place's of bussiness.

[TAF]

Jeff,

The letter is a good idea. I guarantee you they don't want this kind of complaint to go unanswered.

And, maybe you'll get a free McRib out of it...

[prchrman]

This last week my home town paper had a picture of flag burning but this time is was covering the correct way to discard a worn flag...I love small town America...

[Macon Marauder]

I'm with you Jeff. But it ain't just the kids these days. I saw the exact same thing at our main post office. And the culprit was a middle-aged woman. When I asked a friend who works there about it, he said the janitorial staff is responsible for the flag now. And they don't have a clue.

Sad, sad, sad...

[merc406]

Getting out of the car and yelling or honking the horn at someone in the Detroit Metro area is like taking your life in your hands, very risky. You never know who has a gun or is a mental case waiting to happen at any given moment.

[jgc61sr2002]

Jeff I agree with you and as stated above a letter to the management is in order. Was in the USMC for six years and know where you are coming from. Semper Fi. John

[Bigdogjim]

You did the right thing in my book! Maybe next time walk into the McD's and point out the error to the manager? Complete lack of respect. Some thing should be a no brainer......
Big Dog

[CRUZTAKER]

It is also the responsibility of the young peoples peers, mentors, parents, and elders to teach the SPECIFICS. It's not inbred, it's taught. Obviously no one taught this young man, nor the women, proper etiquette.

My son Gage is 2. At 17 months he knew the pooh flag was funny, and the stars and stripes we saluted. By this summer he will know the difference even better. He doesn't know WHY we salute this particular flag, he just does. Where ever he sees it, he says "OUR flag". By the age 3, my son will know and respect the meaning, and what our flag stands for.

Our youth are smarter than we think, someone just needs to fill the void early.

God bless the USA.....HOO-YA!!

[SergntMac]

JAL...I hear you, Bud, and I agree 100% It's sad that the kid doesn't know any better. At least he didn't lay it on the ground?

Your instant response is admirable, Marines do, while others plan, eh? You meant well and I respect that, but your approach could have become a hand full of trouble for you.

Mc Donalds doesn't have to post a flag, but they do, and I don't believe many of us really pay attention to that. Obviously, this kid didn't know better, and what can, no make that what should we do about it. Kick his butt? Or, teach him something that no one has taught him yet.

Why not go back to that Mc Donalds and talk with the manager, point out the good things he's doing, like posting the American flag to begin with, and not leaving it out overnight, and offer to provide some guidance to the kiddies who get the task.

After Sept. 11, the USA was awash in flags, it warmed my heart and made me proud to be an American. I still have two up at my home, and one on each of my cars, but I don't see the saturation of flags from only 18 months ago. Just a passing fad, eh? Jeeze..."baby on board" signs lasted longer.

Now that our country is at war, and our servicemen are at great risk, it would heartwarming once again, to see the American Flag turned out in support of them.

Hey y'all, where is your American flag?

[MAD-3R]

Can't remember the quote exactly, but it's like this,
"IF 1,000,000 lives are worth avenging, is one? When is it worth it?"

In my thought proccess, The Normady beach is U.S. and British Terretory, bought and paid in full with blood. The Ardens, and the entire path through France to Germany, and through out Sothern Italy and North Africa, as well as every flyspec Island and atol in the pacific. Every where that Old Glory flew is ours.

But I'm an Imperialist.

[RF Overlord]

JAL:

I wholeheartedly applaud your action in sending that letter to Mickey D's HQ.

I also highly doubt it will make one iota of difference to them. Large corporations like that simply DO NOT CARE. As long as that store meets its sale quotas, the powers-that-be don't give a damn about anything but maximising shareholder dividends (and their own bonuses). Sure, they might send you a return letter thanking you for your comments, along with a coupon book for 2 free Happy Meals, but it will only be with the intention of buying you off: "There, we sent him a free lunch, so now he'll think he's a hero."

Sorry to sound so bitter and cynical; it would be nice to be wrong this time.

[MAD-3R]

Mac,
I keep it next to my Dog Tags, on my key Ring.

I don't "Show the Colors" at home or on the car. I feel the car flags are kind of "Band Wagon syndrom" to in some cases, and many of those flag are made in China who I try not to support. I don't have the means to display a flag properly at my home, so I chose not to disrespect it by trying to. It upsets me to see some of these 18 month old flags on cars all tatered and faded. That is a huge disgrace.

[CRUZTAKER]

Originally posted by SergntMac
Hey y'all, where is your American flag?

STILL hanging on a short makeshift pole in the front yard with a 150w spot lite on a dusk to dawn timer...just as it was since 9-11.

Accompanied by a 5x8 and a POW-MIA just as it was since I bought the house in 1999.

I do wish the electricity rates would come down though....

[notacop]

jeff, for what it's worth i saw nearly the same thing at my high school a few weeks ago. kid left the flag on the ground after he took it down, then took down the arizona flag and left that on the ground too. couldn't help but notice that this was the same kid who reminded me that dissent was patriotic after his war protest the day before. but please realize that this is not all of our nation's youth.