Poppy Flap

I have the utmost respect for our veterans. My father-in-law served in World War II. My Dad is an Executive at his Legion branch. But we lose our minds in this country when it comes to poppies and flags.

If the owner of a small grocery store, like the one in Quebec, doesn’t want a veteran in there selling poppies, he shouldn’t have to have one. The store has apologized and the veteran is back, but I believe that if the store manager wants to be seen as anti-veteran, they should be allowed to do so. It’s not against the law. It’s their store. They’d be stating up front what they are and the shopping public could govern themselves accordingly. It is, after all, a free country and that freedom means you have the option of taking it for granted, whether the rest of us like it or not.

The same thing happens when some fool drills a hole in his condo wall and jams in a flagpole. People get all up in arms when the condo manager tells him to take it down, just because of what it symbolizes. If the condo rules say, no drilling holes or flying flags, those are the rules. It’s not an insult to our country to enforce them.

Donald Trump is currently flying an American flag on an 80 foot pole at one of his estates. It makes the place look like a golf course or an amusement park. According to the local laws, the flag is flying too high and Donald knew that when he put it up but he’s claiming it’s an issue of national pride when what it really is, is a big, rich baby trying to prove to his neighbours that they can’t tell him what to do. The flag is only incidental.

It boggles my mind that people don’t see these incidents for what they really are, because their emotions get all wrapped up in the symbol. I wear my poppy proudly and put out my flag on Canada Day. That doesn’t mean I have the right to assume anything about people who don’t do the same.