hello guys, probably you are thinking that I'm sort of crazy. Today I went around searching for an american flag as crazy, without success. could somebody of you send me one (to europe)? I'll of course refound you all expences.

the 11th september is, and will be a day of prayers for milions of people around the world, forever. it would make me really happy to get an american flag, from the usa, to commemorate all the future 11th of septembers.

please do not blame me for this request, and thanks if you can help me (pls pm me).

Don't feel bad that you can't find one in Europe - I can't find one in the U.S.!

No joke - I spent about 3 hours this morning before work going to every store I could possibly think of that had even the faintest likelihood of having an American flag - every single one of them was sold out.

They said on the local news last night that Walmart had been so deluged by people coming in to buy flags that they actually put boxes of flags outside the store to be taken free of charge, just so they could cut down all the register lines for customers shopping for regular stuff. Unfortunately both of my local Walmarts were out :-(

Amazing. It makes me feel very bad that I don't have a flag somewhere around the house in storage or something - it's kind of embarrassing in fact. You can be sure that after this that's not going to happen again - as soon as the stores re-stock I'm going to buy one. It's unfortunate it'll by then be too late to show my support to this particular tragedy.

Jason

My wife and I have been looking for 3 days. They had some at one shop and the line was 3.5 blocks long...no kidding.

thanks a lot for your info. I did not even imagine it was so hard to get one. Well, should you be able to find some, please think about this post and pm me. thanks a lot again!

I cannot personally recommend the following as I just found it today on a whim...but possibly this is an option for those still looking for a flag and they do have priority shipping options as well.

http://www.AmericanFlag.com/

<EDIT>
Silly me just noticed the big red notice at the top of the page noting that they are Sold Out *ugh*
</EDIT>

As chance would have it, I recently purchased 100, 8" U.S. flags for a Memorial Day event, and I've spent some time each day, during the last three days, giving them away to people on the street. I have none left though, sorry.

It was a very emotional experience - where Americans and non-Americans alike lined up to get a symbol of this great nation that they could hold and wave and would give them comfort. One man tried to pay me $50 for his flag. I suggested he send the money to the Red Cross instead.

-t

wave the flag ? With the murder of 5,000, the loss of 4 airliners
loaded with passengers, and an attack on our national
military headquarters accompanied by the loss of more than
100 military personnel, and the total destruction of the most
prominent architectural features in our most reknowned city,
is their any need for a patriotic display of solidarity ?

Nationalistic and religious fervor and zealotry have encouraged
more division and destruction than unity or preservation through
out recorded history.

I am much more comfortable hearing that our national symbols
are used as gestures by our foreign allies to show their support
and sympathy. The playing of a U.S. patriotic song in the U.K. or
the display of an American flag by an ordinary citizen in Paris or
Berlin is a gesture of warmth and sympathy.

Surely we Americans have no need after this week's events to
wave the flag at each other or at anyone else to show or to
prove our own patriotism or commitment to our country, our armed forces, or our leaders. The display of yellow ribbons and
calling 1-800-801-8092 to pledge donations to families of victims
are more appropriate gestures than flag waving.
(The telephone number was announced in NYC thursday as an
appropriate contact to pledge donations.)

Originally posted by yellowed
...is their any need for a patriotic display of solidarity ?

Surely we Americans have no need after this week's events to
wave the flag at each other or at anyone else to show or to
prove our own patriotism or commitment to our country, our armed forces, or our leaders.

I believe it is to show unity. To show that this has affected everyone in the United States, not just the immediate areas. Personally I think it is a good thing. Too often we are all divided, in this country, and in the world, and that is an unfortunate thing.

I don't question anyone's personal approach to dealing with this horrible event.

Not everyone will have the same series of reactions, nor will everyone go through the same stages at the same time.

Some will be shocked and horrified and not ever feel anger or a need for revenge. Some will go straight to revenge, and never feel fully satisfied that they justice has been dealt those who trade in terror.

Most will feel the entire range of emotions, and will continue to do so for many, many months to come.

When I look in the eyes of my children, I see the destruction of innocence and it brings tears to my eyes.

Wave the flag? Absolutely, if it brings you any peace at all in these terrible times.

-t

Originally posted by thewitt
When I look in the eyes of my children, I see the destruction of innocence and it brings tears to my eyes.

That's something I'm pretty happy about. My daughter is only two, so has no idea of what's going on. Tuesday's biggest disaster for her was not being able to find her tape of 'Stewart Little' :)

Flags are symbols. People like symbols to hold onto when things go pear-shaped. It gives them a sense of being able to do something in the face of having little control over what's going on around them. If standing there waving a flag brings people together then it's a good thing. I'm quite sure those same people are donating blood and money and whatever else. It may just push those that aren't that little further to do the same when they see such a massive display of unity with a flag on every pole.

Greg Moore

<It may just push those that aren't that little further to do the same when they see such a massive display of unity with a flag on every pole. >

Greg, I guess that the main difference in my opinion, compared to
the opinion of most others, is that I believe that what we are
reacting to events that are criminal acts that differ from past
criminal acts only in size and scope.

I regard these crimes as an attack against all civilized people in
the world, and indeed, citizens of a number of different nations
have been murdered. In my opinion, an outpouring of patriotic
fervor and flag waving will risk the united front that U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is attempting to develop as a
co-ordinated response and deterent to these outrageous crimes
against humanity.

The U.S. has not been attacked by the military of an aggressor
nation. Although we have been victimized by terrorist criminals
and the result is much more massive losses than in other crimes,
we are dealing with a crime that screams out for an
international response of outrage, protest, and condemnation.
We Americans must recognize that we need the collective
co-operation of all citizens of all countries who believe in justice
and the rule of law as the real long term solution to minimize the
influence of international terrorist criminals.

Fervent displays of patriotism in the U.S. will not serve to unify
or align us with other nations. We must recognize that we cannot
solve this problem solely with our own military efforts or with the
aid of a few friendly allied countries. We must use our heads and
make our highest priority a goal of unity of the civilized against
the uncivilized and inhuman zealots who would commit crimes
so unimaginable before Sept. 11.

We don't wave the flag in reaction to past criminal acts. We have
experienced losses horrendous enough to outrage and sadden
anyone in our country who possesses any sense of empathy or
humanity. The display of a flag will not persuade anyone who is
not already outraged or convince anyone who does not already
appreciate a need for unity and soladarity. We must accept that this is a problem too great for the U.S. and it's military to solve
or control by itself. We will delay achieving the necessary world
consensus to check international terrorism as long as our
knee jerk response to terrorist crime is to wave our American
Flag. The United Nations flag seems a much more appropriate
banner to promote and display if we truly want to persuade the
rest of the world of the need to universally condemn and discourage the terrorist fanatics from further criminal acts.

Flags are symbols. People like symbols to hold onto when things go pear-shaped. It gives them a sense of being able to do something in the face of having little control over what's going on around them. If standing there waving a flag brings people together then it's a good thing.

well, here in italy there are US flags around, lots of people wears the so often seen NY cappy. And yes... I'd be really happy to be able to find / to get a flag... coz I still can't find any.

Cheers again.

You may be able to go to a US Military Base (please do not just walk up to one, call them) and they may have some US Flags.

Tell them about your story and see if they can give one.

I have 2 flags, and that is all I could find. One has been with me for years. Its the same one that I put out on my porch every June 14th.

Jim

Originally posted by jimb
You may be able to go to a US Military Base (please do not just walk up to one, call them)

Good advice that! My fiancee is an airforce brat, and she still lives near a few bases (McChord and Ft Lewis). Even in peace time the guards on the gates are very serious looking people. I don't think I'd even think about trying to get on base right now...

Greg Moore