Well, we never flew our flag from our house before because our flag is far too large. It’s 5’x9’. That’s feet. It’s absolutely gi-normous, and we have but a little house. I suppose we could have gotten a smaller flag for “daily use,” but that’s a moot point now.
Anyway, I was able to find a 5-foot mop handle in the basement. I attached the flag and hung it out the upstairs bedroom window, anchoring the mop handle to the radiatior. It hangs all the way down, covering the living room window.
Damn, it’s a big flag.
I love it. I live on a very busy street. I hope a lot of people see it.
As far as “what kind of tribute,” I vote that we should fly our flags and wear red-white-and-blue every day. We could wear pins, or armbands, anything. Let’s show our national pride.
We have one of those house-for-sale sized metal signs (from my husband’s building business) that I’ve been toying with the idea of putting some cardboard over it saying:
I am wearing a purple ribbon given to me by a coworker. Anyone know what purple symbolizes ? Is it supposed to to be like a purple heart ? Curious . . .
That “pentagon with 11 inside it” sounds very neat.
Haven’t seen anything significant around here besides flags, and signs on businesses and churches with changeable signs. I agree that flags are probably most appropriate and unmistakable, sending the strongest message.
None of our neighbors, either, have ever put up a flag in the five years we’ve lived here, but we have always put one up for holidays. Mate cygnus and I put ours out front to fly in the wind, taking a moment of silence with just the two of us when it was in place, and if we’re the only ones on our road with one, well, then maybe it will just stand out all that much more and make people take notice and think. Tomorrow we plan to tape a small flag to our truck antenna when we go out and about.
I heard on the news yesterday that all stores in our area were completely sold out of flags. If you don’t have a flag, I think any combination of red, white, and blue - ribbons, etc - would still get the idea across. I also think that any darn form of expression that speaks to and for you is appropriate, whether it’s signs, stones, artwork, or, as I saw today, a pot of red and white flowers set out near the road with a small flag in it.
Don’t forget that we have been asked to pause at noon tomorrow for a specific moment of remembrance.
Your buddy is confused, Maegalin. According to this site, the significant symbolism is which way the eagle is facing, not the direction the arrows are pointing (they have always pointed “outward”). Prior to 1945, the eagle faced right, toward the arrows. After 1945, the eagle has faced to the left, towards the olive branches. All the pictures I have seen since the atrocity still show the seal with the eagle facing towards the olive branches. Perhaps it is time for a change.
I am not much of one for public display, although in this case I will probably make an exception. But for a lasting tribute? I will try, every day, for the rest of my life (because I will NEVER forget this) to be kind to everyone I meet, to be grateful for my mundane little problems, to hug my children and other dear ones extra hard, and to try to live my life even better than my best in honor of those who now will never have that chance.
And I hope that everyone will remember that Muslims are not our enemies. We must not let the senseless and brutal acts of fanatics and extremists turn us to acts of brutal and senseless hatred.
A sweet thing happened last night to me while I was on the floor reading the newspapers and watching CNN.
I had already put up Fourth of July decorations. Two red/white/blue bows on my porch lights on either side of the door. A wreath bearing the same colors, plus a lighted flag, that has white lights where the white color would be, red lights where the red color would be. You get the idea.
I mounted it next to my front door. We also have two large bay windows, floor to ceiling, so it isn’t difficult to see in, and even watch tv, if you’ve a mind to! I hear honking, just a light tapping of a car horn.
I look up, and there is a van outside sitting at our mailbox [we have a long uphill driveway] and they see me look up [finally!] and everyone in the van starts waving to me!!! They slowly drove away.
I just HAD to call my son who is away at college to tell him what happened and he IS touched, but also laughs and says, ‘just watch what you wear from now on, Mom, apparently people could get to know you a bit better than we think!’
If any of you have websites an online soapmaking acquaintance of mine has designed a graphic you may wish to put on your site: it’s of a tear with red, white and blue stars inside, which is actually quite stunning from an artistic standpoint. You can find it at
He’s hoping as many people use it as possible but be advised there is a bit of strong language and heavy-handed jingoism on the page, which I think most of us are able to understand at this time.
Well, I made a bunch of red, white, & blue ribbon pins last night, and took them in to work today. Had about 50 of them. I passed some out to the folks in my office–there’s only about 10 of us there. Took the rest up to the little candy stand in the lobby, and asked the owner (a retired city employee & very good friend of mine) if I could leave them there, for people to take if they wanted. Everyone in the building hits that stand at least once a day, so I figured that was aas good a place as any for them. And boy, was I right.
I thought I’d made too many. Turns out, I didn’t make enough. They were gone inside of an hour. And a few people asked me if I wanted some money for them. Well, the actual cost of my materials added up to, oh, maybe a dollar. Not per pin, mind you–a dollar total, for all 50 pins. So no, I wasn’t going to take money for them.
But it was nice to see so many people wearing the ribbons. I wasn’t the only one who’d made things like this for today, either–other folks were wearing ribbons that their co-workers had made and brought in, just like I had. Made me feel good. Like I’d actually done something.
My daughter and I will be out on our porch this evening, too, with a candle. And I’m giving blood on Monday.
I went to a wonderful candlelight vigil last night. Today I went to church for the first time in nine years for the noon service. Tomorrow morning, I’m going to the eight o’clock mass with my Mom, then for a long hike alone.
I haven’t stopped crying for very long yet. As I fall asleep and wake up, I am inundated with the images from this catastrophe replaying in my mind. I can’t even finish the wonderful book I’ve been reading. I went to work after church so I could eat with some friends, and I just cried the whole time.
If I feel this way, I can only imagine how the people who lost loved ones feel. I’m terribly afraid of what’s going to happen, terribly afraid of this happening again, and desperately, painfully empathetic for the people who are grieving right now. I’m doing my best to act normal, but I feel like my skin is on inside out.
At the vigil, a man from Brooklyn who lost two family members in the WTC said, “On Tuesday morning there was a long line to get into heaven.”