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American flag shows true colors
(by Barbara Christian - October 04, 2012)
American flag shows true colors
We used to have a guy around here by the name of Barney Hoopes. He was one of those town characters we don’t seem to attract anymore.
In Barney’s case, the term “town character” is meant in the best possible sense. Barney was a treasure. He worked as a Chagrin Falls police dispatcher and, if memory serves, was also a part-time officer.
Because they shared the same first name, Barney was kidded about being Chagrin Falls’ version of Mayberry’s “Barney Fife,” the fictional and inept deputy of the “Andy Griffith Show.”
But there was no comparison. Barney Hoopes was an effective public servant who loved Chagrin Falls. He served it long and well. But it was one particular self-appointed duty that turned him into a local legend.
Barney also loved his country and the flag that symbolized it. He bled red, white and blue and could not stand to see it hung improperly. In fact, Barney was an expert on Old Glory and knew all the rules for its display down cold.
His legend goes like this: On his regular rounds, Barney would make note of transgressions, call the house where the misdeed occurred and inform whomever answered about the breach of flag etiquette. Then he would hold a clinic on proper display of the American flag right there on the phone.
But Barney wasn’t just about scolding the perpetrators on improper flag display. For years, just before each patriotic holiday, Barney would pen a letter to the editor wishing one and all a happy whatever holiday it was then remind readers to fly their flags.
Old timers will likely remember Barney in a whole host of ways, but everyone will remember him as guardian of our country’s most beloved symbol.
Barney passed away years ago, but our guess is he would be on perpetual spin cycle in his final resting place if he could see the way the flag is being mismanaged today.
Some of these current flag truants come from a certain segment of the population which aligns itself with the tea party, an anti-government movement which surfaced a few years ago. It gained so much publicity for its antics and corruption of the real Boston Tea Party that its members — apparently so taken by the vision of themselves as romantic revolutionaries — adopted their own flag.
They chose the Gadsden flag with its coiled rattlesnake on yellow background. It has honorable roots. Some histories give credit to Ben Franklin as one of its originators. If this is true, good old Ben is likely spinning in his grave right along with Barney in his.
The right to fly the tea-party flag is not the point. Displaying it is good old American freedom of expression. So go ahead and cover yourself with it, hang it from your rafters, knock yourselves out.
But Barney would tell you, whatever flag you swear allegiance, if you live in the United States of America, it flies secondary to and must never overshadow the American flag.
Some of you are either ignorant of the rules or are ignoring them. We won’t point a finger. You know who you are.
Just one question. Do you really swear allegiance to the tea party over your own country? Really?
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