Remember a week or so after 9/11......

[firemcd]

People were fighting over the last flags at Wal-Mart and other retailers. There were little flags on every car antenna; cars, trucks, you name it. Patriotism became huge. Everywhere you went, people thanked you for being a fireman. I know, people are how they are. I am not whining. I just miss it, thats all. Anyone got any stories they remember about patriotic stuff back then; especially when everybody was sold out of flags? I remember around here there were a bunch of kids who were buying sleves of red, and white , and blue plastic cups and sticking them in the holes of their back yard chain link fences in the pattern of the flag. There were also some older ladies here taking big rolls of red, white and blue ribbon and weaving them together to make flags for those who could not buy one anywhere and giving them away free to whoever. I still talk to the WW2 vets around here about those times. They really miss it too, especially now with so many of our brothers coming home from overseas in a box. I still to this day wear 2 Glo-Flex American Flags on my helmet. The guys raz me about it sometimes, but i'm never, ever removing them. When they get cooked in a fire, I just replace them. Anyhow, I really would like to hear your stories. Thanks for reading!

[backsteprescue123]

I miss it too. It is a damn shame that it takes a tragedy such as 9-11 to get people to appreciate what their servicemen and women have done for them and to be patriotic.

[the1141man]

Everywhere you went, people thanked you for being a fireman...

...or in the military, or an EMT, or even a cop... I remember TAs happening on the highways or freeways and everybody and their brother stopping to help because "That's a fellow American that needs help, there."

Most particularly, just because it rings so ironic in my mind right now, I remember that commercial they produced not long after, showing the row of houses that could've been in "Anytown, USA", saying "on 9/11, terrorists executed an attack on America, aimed at permanently changing our way of life," then cutting to that same row of houses with flags from every corner, flag-colored drapes, etc, etc... and then "THEY DID" fades in over the glorious patriotic imagery...
That was an accurate image for about 9 months after 9/11...but the American public as a whole is a fickle and forgetful critter, and soon the bunting and flags disappeared, replaced by government-bred fear and the accompanying legislative and executive power-grubbing and privacy/freedom-curtailing: gee, we've been at Yellow and Orange in the Terror Alert Scale for years now, which indicates good likelihood of a terrorist attack, but we've yet to actually be attacked again. What's the point of having a "green light" if you're only going to use yellow and red?

But I digress--the sad thing is you're right...many of those same people who 6 years ago fought in the "Battle of Aisle 23" at their local Wally-World trying to get their hands on a flag, are now renouncing their previously-beloved country...

To paraphrase the old saying: "Americans only love you for so long..."

[fireman4949]

I sure miss it too.
Every now and then, I'll see a car or truck driving along with an flag flying on it. It's obvious that not everyone has lost that patriotic spirit, but it's a shame that so many have...Especially with our troops in harms way.

It seems to me that it's primarily the military and firefighters that still have, and are still trying to keep that "patriotic" feeling alive, more so than just the average American is.
Perhaps it's mostly because of 9-11 and the huge loss of our Brothers, or maybe it's just the way firefighters have always been, and 9-11 just brought it back to the surface.

Whatever the reason is, don't give up. Keep proudly displaying those flags. Screw anyone that hard-times you about it! I still fly "Old Glory" at my home, 24-7. I'm proud of our country. I count my blessings every day, and I realize just how blessed I am to be an American!




Kevin

[DeputyMarshal]

Patriotism became huge.

That's where you're wrong. Faux patriotism became huge... Patriotism was here all along and hasn't much changed, IMHO..

Everywhere you went, people thanked you for being a fireman.

Right up until it cost them anything. I recall that the annual (Elks sponsored) Public Service Awards dinner in our town was as sparsely attended as ever that year just two weeks after 9-11. Needless to say the same politicians who praised firefighters and how they "couldn't do enough for us" weren't singing the same tune at contract negotiation time either...

Anyone got any stories they remember about patriotic stuff back then; especially when everybody was sold out of flags?

After that they just stole them. I lost two from the side of the street by my mailbox. Then there were all those flags placed on bridge overpasses and left to rot after the fad had passed.

Patriotism as a fashion craze just never did make it for me.

[rhvfd1214]

I remember out local dirt track passed out little American flags to each person who brought a race car. The idea was to put it on the side of the car facing the grandstands. They played the Star Spangled Banner, and had a prayer for the ones lost, and for the Fighting Forces that were about to be sent into harm's way. Several cars ran with Flags tied to the cars.

[firemcd]

Whatever the reason is, don't give up. Keep proudly displaying those flags. Screw anyone that hard-times you about it! I still fly "Old Glory" at my home, 24-7. I'm proud of our country. I count my blessings every day, and I realize just how blessed I am to be an American!




Kevin

DeputyMarshall; Having a bad day or bad life? Sure, there is good and bad in any concept. But to make the statement it was all just a fashionable craze is obscene and ugly. Thank GOD most of us here do not feel that way. I feel sorry for you.

[scfire86]

I count my blessings every day, and I realize just how blessed I am to be an American!

Kevin

Same here...

[DeputyMarshal]

But to make the statement it was all just a fashionable craze is obscene and ugly.

And undeniably true. Wake up. You're confusing "patriotism" with blind nationalism.

Thank GOD most of us here do not feel that way.

I'm sorry, did I miss the poll where you were elected spokesman for "most of us here"?

I feel sorry for you.

Ditto. Sorry and a little sad.

[doughesson]

There's nothing wrong with patriotism.In fact,one of Napoleon's generals was so patriotic about anything and everything French being the best there was,we got the word"Chauvinism"from his name.Shame that it got corrupted over the years but not every word retains its meaning once it's been misused.
Having been born of the Fourth of July,I have always been proud to be an American and understood how lucky I was to have been born here.
It doesn't mean that I blindly follow orders.There's too many write up chits in my Navy personnel record for anyone to believe I just follow the flag no matter who's waving it or why.Ask any of my leading petty officers or the ones I was assigned to take my work schedule from.I speak up when I think an idea is stupid and not always on a civil manner,either.
Like others,I did not like seeing everyone start displaying flags or buying anything that had an American flag on it to show how patriotic they are,only to start taking them down when the next big thing to do came along for them to start with.
You don't have to agree with everything the President or Speaker of the House says.God knows I automatically take the opposing side whenever Nancy Pelosi opens her mouth but I don't always agree with the President either.I'm not too thrilled with how he doesn't always explain himself when opposition starts because what he does isn't always apparent to others.
You show me any two people that agree on EVERY little thing that comes up all the time and I'll think you're showing me another episode of"The Brady Bunch".
Real people can disagree without straying off the fact that we're all Americans.People from other countries don't always understand the divisions within.There's countries I can tell you nothing about their politics so it looks from the outside that it's all one big happy family there too.

[fireman4949]

Having been born of the Fourth of July,I have always been proud to be an American and understood how lucky I was to have been born here.

How dare you share my bitrthday?!

[nmfire]

I recall from that time period, the best term for what is being described here...

BANDWAGON PATRIOTISM

It was a wonderful thing but there was no way it was going to last. Thats just the nature of society, always has been and probably always will.

[DeputyMarshal]

Right on the money, nmfire!

[E229Lt]

What I saw was quite real, not "blind nationalism" or "BANDWAGON PATRIOTISM". The waves, the sudden yielding of vehicles, even the simple smile. They were spontaneous actions I saw, not "acts". People acted this way because they were suddenly a part of a common cause.

The people of this country will rise to a challenge when called upon, however, when their leaders tell them to go about their lives like nothing has happened, what can you expect the result to be?

During WWII (which ended quicker than this mess we're in) the country was given the challenge to become a part of the effort and the people rose to the challenge. Today we are told "go shopping".

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not throwing stones at either side of the leadership aisle, I believe this is one thing both sides agree with doing, keeping the majority of Americans uninvolved.

You will not see overt American patriotism, until you see the people of America given a role in what is happening. We have a shortage of uparmored vehicles, yet auto makers are laying off workers. This is just one example. Those very people and factories could become of the effort and once they were, they would display the pride and patriotism you're looking for.

Again, that's just one example. If the people of this country are given a place in the effort, they will become part of the solution. Until then, apathy and frustration will prevail. It's simply a gut feeling of having a stake that stirs patriotism.

[MalahatTwo7]

It doesn't mean that I blindly follow orders.There's too many write up chits in my Navy personnel record for anyone to believe I just follow the flag no matter who's waving it or why.Ask any of my leading petty officers or the ones I was assigned to take my work schedule from.I speak up when I think an idea is stupid and not always on a civil manner,either.

Hmm. Doug, seems we share a similar trait, although mine is with my army record. My navy record is pretty docile in comparison.... I think I just learned how to hide the bodies better when I moved to the navy???

[the1141man]

Every now and then, I'll see a car or truck driving along with an flag flying on it. It's obvious that not everyone has lost that patriotic spirit, but it's a shame that so many have...Especially with our troops in harms way.

It seems to me that it's primarily the military and firefighters that still have, and are still trying to keep that "patriotic" feeling alive, more so than just the average American is.

Last one I saw (yesterday) was a pickup with a big American flag flying from a staff on the driver's side of the bed....and a US Marine Corps flag on the passenger side. Figures.

What I saw was quite real, not "blind nationalism" or "BANDWAGON PATRIOTISM". The waves, the sudden yielding of vehicles, even the simple smile. They were spontaneous actions I saw, not "acts". People acted this way because they were suddenly a part of a common cause.

And now they are just as "suddenly" part of a nation deeply and vehemently divided...the last national election, when GWB was re-elected, there were more than a few stories of families divided, friendships lost, divorces filed, all because of the way one voted.

The "common cause" is lost, and you've as much chance of finding it again as you do of stumbling across Atlantis.

[ThNozzleman]

I'm glad the nationalistic hooplah is over, myself. You don't have to wrap yourself in a flag 24/7 to be a patriot or to love your country. I'm proud to display the flag at my home, but I'll be damned if I'll stick it on the back of my vehicle to get dusty and faded. Some nut around here still runs around in an old work van with a flag draped across the hood, getting road grime, bugs, and tobacco spit all over it. If that's patriotism, I want no part of it. True patriotism is something inside you, not hanging on the back of your firetruck or in your front yard. As for the treatment of firefighters etc. after 9/11, it was a little much to me. I'm just a regular guy, doing a job that needs to be done. I know a lot of gloryhounds ate that **** up (with their t-shirts, tattoos and 1,500 9/11 stickers on their helmets and pickups), but I'm more one to respect their sacrifice (and any LODD, for that matter) in a more solemn, reserved sort of way. For guys who were close to the people who lost their lives that day, it's always going impact them harder than anyone else could imagine. For every up, there is a down...and to expect the same level of attention the fire service got after 9/11 to be present years after the event is unrealistic. In my opinion, it's not good for a nation to keep up such a fevered pitch of emotion for that long. It was nice to have people thank you for what you do, but I was uncomfortable with the spotlight on us for so long. I don't expect any special treatment for what I do...I'm glad to do it.

[Chiefy]

I fly the flag 24/7. Always did, always will. Anyone who has a deep psychosis and depression problem, Ol' DeputyMarshal, may not be able to rally and enjoy the rush, and feeling of patriotism, but I do.
For my brothers 60th birthday I got him a 30' lighted flag pole and flag. He loved it. Those of you that find fault in a brother lamenting about the post 9/11 swell of patriotism have forgotten what this site is for; the sharing of problems, solutions and brotherhood. NOT PICKING APART POSTS JUST TO TRY TO FEEL SUPERIOR IN SOME TWISTED WAY.

I'm with you FIREMCD. Good post.

[ThNozzleman]

NOT PICKING APART POSTS JUST TO TRY TO FEEL SUPERIOR IN SOME TWISTED WAY.

This forum is for discussion, which is what we're doing. Don't like it? Tough.

[Chiefy]

Actually I do like it. Even those I don't agree with. Thanks ThNozzleman.
I look forward to the other points of view. My point, however obscure, was that you shouldn't attack someones post just for the sake of attacking. A person isn't wrong just because they support a different point of view. I appreciated your viewpoint too. And your right, a lot of people would prefer to do their job without all the fuss.
Be safe.