New Jersey Town Proposes Flag Ban - Sunlit Uplands Proposes A Response

Governor Chris Christie holds his Reform Agenda Town Hall with West New York Mayor Felix Roque, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer and Senator/Union City Mayor Brian Stack at St. Joseph's High School in West New York, N.J. on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011.  (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

We can well understand the growing contempt for the criminal thugs who lead our national government, but the flag does not represent the regime in power.  It represents the history, constitutional foundations, the sacrifices of patriots, the culture, faith and ideals of the American people.  In the case of this New Jersey town, we suspect it is not revulsion at the Obama regime that motivates their efforts to eliminate the American flag.

We have a proposal - a simple amendment to an appropriations bill that any Member of Congress could offer and that most should support:  Any city, town or incorporated village with ordinances prohibiting the flying of the American flag will be ineligible for any and all federal aid, grants and loans.  

It would be a small but meaningful step toward reducing Obama's $16,000,000,000,000 deficit.

NEW JERSEY (MYFOXNY.COM) - 

 The Hudson County town of West New York is considering a widespread sign regulation that could include banning American flags from being flown.

The Board of Commissioners have a draft ordinance for "General Sign Regulations".

Among the prohibited signs under the proposal would be "Flags, banners and pennants."

This has opponents upset.

"What if I want to hang the American Flag? I can't," Frank Ferriero told politickerNJ. "Man, that's un-American."

The proposed ordinance was first read at a meeting on Wednesday.  The final vote on the proposal will be held on Feb. 20 at a 7 p.m. meeting at the municipal building.

The ordinance would also ban signs affixed to the exterior of a window or glass, neon signs framing windows, and window and door signs that exceed 15% of the glass area.

Conservatives Are More Than Twice as Likely as Liberals to Be Strongly Patriotic, Says Gallup Poll

Conservatives are more than twice as likely as liberals to express very strong patriotism, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll in which 48 percent of conservatives said they were “extremely patriotic,” but only 19 percent of liberals made that claim.

Read the rest of this entry >>

We Need Roots

If I had to choose one article that would sum up the theme and purpose I intend for my blog, it would undoubtedly be the following article by R. R. Reno, features editor of First Things, and a professor of theology at Creighton University. It is a profound article on the meaning of culture, patriotism, national loyalty, social capital, and man's restless quest for roots that was aptly summed up in Saint Augustine's observation:

Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.

We Need Roots

From First Things

By R. R. Reno

G.K. Chesterton was a sucker for romantic gestures. Lines of soldiers with swords crossed, flags rippling in the wind, cathedral bells tolling: These sorts of scenes moved him, as did visions of lovers pledging themselves to each other in the dusky darkness of a summer evening, monks prostrate on cold, stone, chapel floors as they take their vows, and the quiet, invincible resolution of solitary soldiers who face impossible odds. Life is better—richer, deeper, thicker—for our loyalties and loves.

I share this Chestertonian sensibility, which is why the new music from the English folk band, Show of Hands, gives me goose bumps.

Listen to the band’s bitter lament, “Country Life.” The accompanying video on YouTube features harsh black and white images that match the cutting lyrics.

Read the rest of this entry >>