Your Money Is No Good Here: How Our Upside Down Flag Caused Local Business Owner to Turn Us Away!

reply to post by HomerinNC

NuclearPaul
So, it's OK for the military to reverse the flag, but turning it upside down is blasphemy?

HomerinNC
reply to post by NuclearPaul
Dont think I've ever seen a flag flown by the military upside down

i think he's talking about uniform patches.



i had wondered about that my self. this from the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army

Q7: How should the American Flag patch be worn by Army personnel?

HQDA policy has been changed to authorize all soldiers throughout the force permanent wear of the full-color U.S. Flag cloth replica (approximately 2"x3") on utility uniforms. The patch is worn on BDUs, Desert BDUs, the Maternity BDU, the Cold Weather Coat (Field Jacket), Aircrew Battle Dress Uniform, and the Combat Vehicle Crewman Uniform and Jacket (Cold Weather). DA policy states that the patch will be sewn 1/2 inch below the right shoulder seam of the utility uniform. When the shoulder sleeve insignia-former wartime service (SSI-FWTS) is worn on the right shoulder of the utility uniform, the U.S. Flag insignia is placed 1/8 inch below the SSI-FWTS. The cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward or to the flag's own right. When worn on the right sleeve, it is considered proper to reverse the design so that the union is at the observer's right to suggest that the flag is flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward.

i've seen some sites say that the reason for it to be that way on the right is to symbolize, when the flag was carried in to battle, by the flag barrier, whether on foot running or on horse, the flag would turn so that the union was facing forward blowing in the wind and that was the way it was seen by the troops.

also i thought some might like this page.
United States Code

daryllyn

So what gives? What on earth went on here?

What say you, ATS?

Let me recap.

You put a upside-down flag up and a sign "impeach Obama" and now you are all perplexed why not everyone is supporting your view? Are you FOR REAL?

reply to post by daryllyn


I would fly the flag at half mast too. This gives more of an impression that it is in limbo, and not a finite view. Fully massed turns from Distressed to Destruction, if you will.

Just my two cents on dealing with ignorant people unaware of flag symbolism.

Dary, you and your hubby see that the country is in distress and did something that should have been a conversation starter. Unfortunately, you found the ostrich, as others have mentioned. I say good for you for having a stance and doing something to show it.

I also find it perplexing that he didn't even want to know what your reasoning was and didn't know or care to know what it meant. I am always open to learning other peoples perspectives, even when I find that I don't agree with them, at least I took the opportunity to hear their thoughts and potentially learn something new.

If I had an extra vehicle, it would be yours, just because I love you for who you are.

Take care,
Cindi

I'm not really sure what the meaning of the upside down flag is in this circumstance.

I know that some kind of idea is trying to be conveyed, but not the idea that it is supposed to. Sure people don't know what an upside down flag means. Which means that they can pretty much decide for themselves what it means or doesn't mean. And whatever idealogical communication one would try to convey with it is also going to differ from person to person.

And upside down flag is to mean only one thing, and that is immediate danger to life or property. It is a signal - a communication. Turning a flag upside down is such a simple communication, that it could only mean one thing to be effective as a communication. It's like a bit. It can either be a one or a zero.

Now an upside down flag is supposed to mean a whole bunch of different things to a whole bunch of different people, and nobody really knows what anyone's really trying to say with it. When someone flies a flag upside down because there's something genuinely wrong, no one will heed it because people will just say, "There's them people whut hangs they flag upside down, durp!"

It's a very passive form of communication to flip an icon upside down to make some statement about the state of affairs in the country and the world. It says, "Look at me, I'm aware of what's happening, and you can tell because my flag is upside down." But it certainly doesn't say, "Hey, people in my community, I think we should get together and have a dialogue about what is happening in our country right now."

The effect that creating an undue spectacle of the flag has is to confuse others, and alienate yourself from them. It creates no dialogue, and it makes no meaningful statement as it has no information content. The man who would not take your money or your truck did not because he was confused and alienated. For a lot of people in this country, it would be the equivalent of replicating the crucifixion in your front yard with Jesus hung on the cross upside-down. And whatever intended message one may try to convey with that, it probably wouldn't be fully understood without some explanation.

You were "forcing" him to confront an uncomfortable reality he'd prefer to not deal with.
There's lots of people like that.
Their kind would sit until the last second to move if an airplane were about to crash on their heads because they didn't want to miss a play from the Redskins game.
They are a problem for our society and our country because they don't care and even worse won't do anything.
Until it affects them personally of course, then they point fingers to blame everyone else.

Dude was a jerk.
I applaud you both for making a strong statement and not living in fear.
We all need to step up like you did and take back what is rightfully our country.

HomerinNC
Hey Dary, I'm sorry that happened to you, People are going to stay ignorant and act like nothing's wrong until TSHTF then they will say OH CRAP, YOU WERE RIGHT

Nope. They will then blame you because somehow you knew.
So you must be involved!

This is one of my rare disagreements with you Homer.
Cheers,
ATA

reply to post by Asktheanimals


They can blame you, but they'd be wrong lol

reply to post by Raxoxane

In Africa we see that if an ostrich buries its head in the sand,the lion's kill is very easy-he does'nt even have to chase..

I thought this statement was very apt.

Its very easy to strip our rights away if a good portion of our citizens are engaging in willful blindness.

reply to post by truthseeker1984

We are at the cusp of a Brave New World, and your flag is a distress beacon in the darkness that is engulfing all of us.

This, this is what the used car salesman was afraid of.

He was afraid of it all crashing down at once.

I hope that makes sense to you. Keep your flag up as long as you can. I'll be turning mine over in the morning.

Maybe it is fear that contributes to this sort of refusal to so much as think outside of one's box, even for a second.

I've encountered tons of uninformed, close minded people in my life, but never quite like the confusing encounter we experienced yesterday. Commonly, people will say that they aren't worried about politics, and since they feel they couldn't change anything even if they did, they refuse to inform themselves beyond what they hear on the nightly news. I'm used to that being one that loves to discuss the topic. The way this dude looked at us and refused our business, threw me off and really caught me off guard. It was beyond the norm for me.

Thanks for the reply.

NoRulesAllowed

daryllyn

So what gives? What on earth went on here?

What say you, ATS?

Let me recap.

You put a upside-down flag up and a sign "impeach Obama" and now you are all perplexed why not everyone is supporting your view? Are you FOR REAL?

Firstly, the flag/sign was not my doing, even if I do generally agree with the sentiment.

Secondly, I never asked anyone to support my view. I'm strong enough in my convictions that I don't need anyone to validate them.

The refusal to take my money and my business because of this uniformed, close minded person's assumptions about our political stance, THAT is my issue.

Its not a big deal that we didn't get a car, there are tons of other places that will take our business, its the principle behind the refusal that I take issue with.

reply to post by daryllyn


Don't get bent out of shape over some nimrod not wanting to do business with you.

The dummy just demonstrated first hand how powerless they really are, and kinda dopey to refuse to do business with someone for such a petty reason in an economic climate like this one.

Learn how to fix your own stuff and you can get a pretty good car for next to nothing anyway, if you don't have the time it's part of the arrangement to keep you working to pay a ninety dollar an hour shop fee when you Only make twenty or so an hour.

Those numbers just don't work any way you twist or twerk them....

None of it makes sense, so many can't see it.

reply to post by Destinyone

As you know, I too, am flying my flag upside down in distress. We are a Nation in distress. To ignore it is dangerous.

Hang in there Girl...IIRC, a lot of people driving past your home, honk in agreement with you and your other half. He was probably going to sell you a crappy truck anyway....your hard earned dollars are better spent with someone who uses all of their brain.

We definitely still get honks. Some may be honks of protest.. Its hard to say.. LOL

Its made getting the kids from the bus more interesting, that's for sure. People honk, wave, give a thumbs up, and even my little dude's bus driver took the time to crack open the window and shout. "Hey, I like your sign and I agree!". No middle fingers... yet (wink face because I hate the new emoticons).

Keep it flying, Des

reply to post by daryllyn


I think we got a new name for sheeple: ostriches!!!

reply to post by daryllyn


In addition to my autobody/boat repair shop, I have a used car lot. Tell me what you're looking for in a car and I will make it happen!

Your business is welcome here and I will do
whatever it takes to put you in a vehicle that
suits your families needs. I don't care if it
means delivering said vehicle 1,000 damn miles!

reply to post by KawRider9


Cone pick me up on your way, make it an impromptu ATS gathering!
ROAD TRIP!!!

HomerinNC
reply to post by daryllyn

 

I think we got a new name for sheeple: ostriches!!!

I like ostriches better than sheeple, too!

Sheeple is so over used anyway.. and ostrich seems more appropriate for the willfully blind.

Ostriches, it is!

reply to post by KawRider9


Posting from my phone is kicking my butt. God bless your family, our Country and thank you for supporting our protest.

Whatever you need, just let me know and I'll make it happen!

daryllyn
The refusal to take my money and my business because of this uniformed, close minded person's assumptions about our political stance, THAT is my issue.

Oh wait!

People WHO DO NOT AGREE with your view are "uninformed and closed-minded"?

That some people (him, me and probably about 50% of the populace) might not agree with that, are you even aware of that? You mentioned somewhere that you were puzzled that he did not ask further about your view and immediately declined to do business with you.

The reason is that your statement "impeach Obama" is enough to know about your mind-set, there is no need to ask even further, that's all information one needs to get a grip about YOUR uninformed and closed mind. (For instance, there are those people who see OTHER reasons than "Obama" for the current problems in the country. I for instance see the problem NOT with Obama but with the corporates who bring the country to the knees. However, of course, this never will cross your mind since YOUR opinion is already pre-set, it's "easier" to blame everything on Obama and demand impeachment...as if it would get rid of the problems the country has at the moment.

Flying your flag upside down to make a policital statement is equivalent to yelling "fire" in a movie theater when there is no fire or yelling "help" in a swimming pool when your not in danger and I find it disrespectful.