6-14-2010 FLAG DAY

Today is Monday the 14th of June, 2010 and is Flag Day. The resolution for Flag Day was adopted by the second Continental Congress in 1777. Then in 1919 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed officially June 14th as Flag Day. Following that in August 1949 National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.

The isn't an official federal holiday and the only U. S. State to celebrate it as a state holiday is Pennsylvania. So if you notice more American flags then usual flying around your cities and neighborhoods this is the reason why.

All simple patriotism aside, I like the American flag I like the stars and stripes. But, I also really like flags in general. If I could I would like to have a collection of different flags of the world as wall hangings in my house. I think they make for a pretty distinctive look and most countries have pretty nicely designed flags and emblems. That is one of the reasons that I like the World Cup so much. It feels like to me even more then the Olympics that the fans are often very proud of the country and they show that in so many different forms of clothing and banners and the like.

I also really enjoy maps as wall hangings. When I was a kid my parents had a subscription to National Geographic and one of the things that I absolutely loved about that magazine was the maps that they would insert periodically. I still have some of them tucked away and I really wish in retrospect that I would have saved more of them. I need to get those hung up.

There was an interesting piece this morning on NPR about Medical Marijuana. Now, all politics aside as far as the moral issues of Marijuana as a drug. I like that more and more states are deciding for themselves if they want to legalize this as a medicine or not. I know I am probably beating a dead horse her because I have already written in length about my pro federalism feelings but I really do like the idea that more and more states are stepping forward and using the citizen initiative process to effect change. To me this is true democracy in action and truly the power of the voter being heard. This isn't big pharma or the Government controlling the testing of and controlling the access to a pretty effective pain killer.

Have a good day folks, take some time to look at some flags and look at some maps and just be nice to each other out there. I vow to do that regardless of political persuasion.