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Retiring old flags to keep its meaning alive on Flag Day

6/14/2021

2 Comments

 
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A tradition in the Boy Scouts to learn about the flag and provide a service to the community and country. This tradition brings them together on Flag Day to help with the official retiring of old tattered flags.

A service that is required for the proper disposal of flags no longer fit for flying.

Years ago you'd find a few dozen Scouts - the older ones helping the younger ones understand the importance of what they are doing. The older ones had learned it when they were little being taught by the older Scouts some of whom are now scout leaders.

​ It was tradition passed down.

Tonight only a couple Scouts and a couple scout leaders were there. Mike Gardinier, in a full dress suit helped tend the burn pit where the flags were retired. Only a couple hundred were retired in Franklin's ceremony.

There used to be thousands.

It wasn't like the old days. Scouts seem to be fading into history as troops are disbanding and fewer parents are getting their kids involved or being involved themselves as scout masters or volunteers. If it wasn't evident before, it sure was at Franklin's Flag Day ceremony.

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The V.E.T.S Honor Guard was there also as usual, but they too are a smaller group. Age and the loss members who have passed have really diminished their numbers. This all begs the question, are these traditions something that will no longer be in 10 years? 
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The Elks club members, who put this retirement ceremony together each year, are also no longer spring chickens. If these traditions are indeed important, who will take up the cause to continue them? Local scouting is in a dangerous place with only a handful of local troops able to put together programs for youth. Volunteers are hard to come by and packs and troops are folding left and right.
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The V.E.T.S Honor Guard perform incredibly important roles in veteran's funerals and tonight two mambers were scrambling to be sure enough folks would be available on Wednesday to honor on of the area's lost veterans. If these ceremonies and duties are important, these groups need folks to step up and volunteer or join.
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Maybe these ceremonies and functions aren't really that important and they can go the way of the Dodo? 
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Perhaps flags can be just disposed of in landfills with other garbage and that will become OK?

The time it takes to cut the stars on the blue field from the stripes might not be as worth anymore as folks aren't as interested as they were years ago to learn about respect and the dignity of the flag and nation.

And coming together in a place place and time to learn the history of the symbol of America an, in turn, learn a little more about ourselves as a people just doesn't matter anymore

Times change and so do priorities. 
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So the question is, as these traditions fade and we lose people, what priorities are important and what traditions are worth saving?
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2 Comments
Dave Nonnenberg
6/15/2021 01:44:10 pm

Yesterday, me and my boy did the retirement ceremony for the Scouts. We only had two boys here. I know that what I have to say will make many people here angry, however there are traditions that are dying in this country. One of them is the Retirement of the Flag ceremony, the others are traditions of what Christmas and Easter truly stand for. These traditions are supposed to be for everybody. Why are we not getting rid of the tradition of giving gifts? Oh wait... that is dumb. Instead we should be giving worship to the Lord. Easter: Give the Lord worship, instead of giving gifts and candy to people. On June 14th, showing respect to the flag that so may of our friends, family, and others we know fought for in giving our rights for freedom. You want to bury this tradition of flag burning, but that is not correct. Too many of our children are being shown that putting off the important things for video games and family vacations is perfectly acceptable. We need to treat these traditions and God as just as important as Baseball practice, Marching Band, Scouts, or anything else. I know I'm probably going to upset A LOT of parents with this view, however this is how I'm feeling.

Reply
Edwina C. Michel
6/17/2021 01:48:05 am

I had never attended a flag-retiring ceremony before but went because one of the Scouts is my grandson. The entire ceremony was touching and interesting to me; more persons who consider themselves patriotic should attend such a ceremony next Flag Day. Our flag should be precious to us, and we should honor it even as it is retired.

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