(9/27/09) The Select Board added that day for the 250th ParadeUPDATE: 11:20 AM The flags are now up in town center (yeah, behold the power and all that). And they will stay up until Bunker Hill Day, June 17. Although now that the state is thinking about nixing that hack holiday, maybe the Select Board will nix it as well for the flying of the flags. Until then the casual observer passing through town center will mistake Amherst for a quaint, patriotic, Rockwell kind of New England town. Mistake indeed.
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Original Post 10:00 AM
So for the second time in six years town center is barren of the 29 commemorative American flags on Flag Day. And no, I do not think it's a conspiracy hatched by flag haters or any sort of political statement, they just, quite simply, forgot.
Now you know why I tried to trade Flag Day for 9/11 a few years ago as one of the six official days the commemorative flags could fly with the rulers of the public way, our venerable Select Board.
Back in 2004, the last time this happened, I biked through town center and Selectman Gerry Weiss held the only extra flag out that day, in the upside down position (sign of distress), to protest the war in Iraq.
And at the time I said that scene perfectly illustrates what our flag represents: the precious right of individuals to protest government policies.
I guess I will just simply forget to donate to the fourth of July festivities this year. Looks like the town owes the town a freebie flag day for their ,oops, mistake.
ReplyDeleteNow, now don't take it out on the 7/4 Parade which is privately run. LSSE (the town) runs the fireworks.
ReplyDeletePlus: refresh your browser as I'm about to update original post.
Did you know that Cumberland Farms on Btown Rd, Rte 9, was going to put up American Flags on top of their gas station island awning/roof after they remodeled their store, like all the other Cumbies across the state, and the town told them no, they could not do it?! Since when can he town decide what buisnesses/private property can do. Maybe I just mis-understood the story as to the reasoning behind it all, but it should up to the business owners.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that does not surprise me in the least.
ReplyDeleteThe town also gave Big Y on University Drive a hard time ten years ago because their flag was too BIG.
Fck Weiss. Prick.
ReplyDeleteLarryK4 said...
ReplyDelete" Now, now don't take it out on the 7/4 Parade which is privately run. LSSE (the town) runs the fireworks. "
Perhaps Larry, being who you are and running this blog, you are not on the LSSE (i.e. the town's) mailing list: otherwise you'd receive their annual solicitation for donations for the fourth of July festivities!