McDonald's and the U.S. Flag

Days after the 9/11 attacks, Americans suddenly decided they needed to show their patriotism and were looking everywhere for U.S. flags, 'Old Glory', to display on their homes and/or automobiles. Overnight TV ads started appearing selling the duel display flags that could be attached to the rear windows of your car and the magnetic flags that could be stuck anywhere on your vehicle. The ads advised you should buy them quickly, before they were sold out. Everywhere you looked, you saw the U.S. flag. They were on office buildings, cars, and houses. If you did not have a U.S. flag displayed somewhere, you were considered unpatriotic by some. I recall standing in line in a department store behind a woman who was yelling and berating the cashier because the store had no U.S. flags to sell. She said that she had been all over town, and it was just disgusting that she could not find one U.S. flag to purchase. I thought to myself, "Why don't you already have one? Why does it take a disaster for you to want to show your loyalty to your country?"

Skip ahead to present day. I commute to work every day via mass transit. I have to drive six miles to the bus stop to catch the bus, passing by a variety of strip malls, department stores, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses. Aside from the two banks I drive by, the only other business that displays a U.S. flag is McDonald's and maybe one grocery store.

What happened to the flags? Where did they go? I see very few flags, if any, on vehicles or houses anymore. What happened to the patriotic American people? Are they waiting for another 9/11 to help them find their patriotism again? I hope not.

Now I am not a fan of McDonald's. I grew up on Mickey D's food, as did my children and now my grandchildren. I am burn out on Big Macs and Happy Meals. In fact, ask any of my friends and they will tell you I refuse to eat at a McDonald's. I take the grandkids there and get them what they want, be we drive through and take it home. However, whether I eat there or not, I have to give credit where credit is due. McDonald's is about the only business that still shows it patriotism through the displaying of the U.S. flag every day.

I know some of you are saying, you do not have to have a U.S. flag displayed to be a patriot or show you are patriotic, and I agree. I am just wondering, why we American's do not display our patriotism all the time like McDonald's. Where did all those U.S. flags go?

Next time you are out and about, see how many U.S. flags you see flying from a building, house or car.