As I was driving by the local Elementary School on the way to pickup my Grandson, I was not really looking at the flag pole. I wasn't paying attention but something made me look at the flagpole there at Sinclair Elementary School. To my dismay, I saw that the Lone Star flag was flying ABOVE Old Glory - UPSIDE DOWN, yet!
As a veteran, and son, father, son-in-law, brother, uncle, cousin, descendant of veterans, I was understandably upset to see ANY FLAG - even the Lone Star - flying above Old Glory. As a 2nd generation Texan, I was also dismayed about the Lone Star being flown upside down. So I went into the school's office and asked to speak to someone in charge. I believe the Assistant Principal came up to me and I told her about what I had observed on the flag pole out front. I asked her if that was what they were teaching our children these days.
I was given some bravo sierra explanation about a "substitute custodian" raising the flag today (2/22/11) and she accompanied me outside to look. Initially she stood under an awning covering the entrance way and so could not even SEE the flag pole. With a bit of "encouragement" (cajoling?) I was able to convince her to step out where she could see the flag pole. I received assurances that this was not what they were teaching our children these days but it seemed more like a dodge. When I tried to advise her that flying the flag in that manner violated U.S. Code, I was told that they are not allowed to talk "politics" at school.
Eventually a custodian (female) came out and started fooling with the flags. She brought them down for a moment and then started to run the back up. I tried to encapsulate the rules, the Principal interrupted me. She ordered the custodian to bring the flags inside. When I inquired why I got some lame gobbledegook about there being a chance of rain.
I wonder if this is simply a terribly ignorant person raising the flags or something more. I suspect it is the NEA moving to further denigrate Old Glory. That bothers me. A LOT!!
For many years I pledged my allegiance to that flag - and to the Republic for which it stands. I gave a decade of service to that flag. My son paid the penultimate price - he gave is health - in service to that flag. My father-in-law endured months of HORRIFIC treatment at the hands of the Germans for that flag. My family has literally been fighting and dieing for that flag since before Betsy Ross sewed the first one. So it upsets me when someone shows such disrespect to that flag. And as a 2nd generation native Texas I do not appreciate seeing disrespect to the Lone Star, either.
How long can our republic endure when our young are being taught to disregard its symbol?
Not very long, I suspect. Not very long.