Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

Can I fly the Union Jack? How about the Stars and Bars?

Fly a real flag you cocksucker

Abortions for some, large digital American flags for others!

The article is really reaching to get to that job-killing regulations ending.

AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

Only if you're American, right?

The city I live in has no such ordinance against electronic graphics. And I'm sure it's a complete coincidence that one of the world's largest electronic sign manufacturers is based here.

Still, it's silly that rules like this are arbitrarily enacted because local officials in one place think it's necessary and other in another place don't. Whether these signs are dangerous distractions or not could be objectively observed through scientific study, but instead we let politicians go with their gut. Hell, why do we have democracy at all when I am perfectly capable of deciding what rules I would like there to be?

Petulant Dwarf: Can I fly the Union Jack?

If you want. Bonus points for it being the right way up.

/Doesn't know which way up it's supposed to go.
//Is British

What about a digitally enhanced real flag? Would that be OK?

White house, liberty bell,washington monument. None of these distract drivers or get them to slow down traffic.

cmunic8r99: AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

Um, no. The flag I fly at my house has nothing to do with foreign policy, and I'm not dim enough to believe that everything my country does is right.

They why do you fly it?

Baron Harkonnen: AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

How about flying an American flag doesn't automatically make you patriotic or a jingoist, and making a snap judgement like that is just really dumb.

You're right. You might fly a flag because you're an attention whore.

AverageAmericanGuy: cmunic8r99: AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

Um, no. The flag I fly at my house has nothing to do with foreign policy, and I'm not dim enough to believe that everything my country does is right.

They why do you fly it?

To show others how patriotic he is. Oh wait, that's a jingoist. ;-)

ThisNameSux: AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

Only if you're American, right?

You know who else flew flags everywhere and displayed political symbols on every surface, and insisted upon lapel pins?

/ Seriously guys, 1938 called and asked that you tone down the flag flying a bit. It's creeping them right the hell out.

Yes, cities are allowed to make ordinances against garish light displays.

No, using the flag to attempt to slip past the ordinance doesn't excuse it.

SamFlagg
I just would like to know why the law is what it is in the first place.

Random guess: if you allow pictures, you're just an alteration of the refresh rate away from having movies.
Even if there are delays between picture changes, the pictures might be still be more distracting than text. For example:
The pictures could be telling a story, comic-book like.
Or if the pictures are closely related and you happen to glance at it while the picture changes: "Hey, did that guy/girl there just move/wave/drop pants/whatever?"

Nem Wan: Whether these signs are dangerous distractions or not could be objectively observed through scientific study,

That would be perfectly true for an area, but only on a small scale. Different people react differently to different things. What might be distracting to one group of people could be completely ignored by another group. If your study sample site was Vegas and you chose the locals to study I'm sure they are all so used to all the flashing lights that they are just background noise they ignore. Take a sampling of tourist housewives from Idaho and drop them in Vegas and they aren't going to know which way to look.

No where there is a clear scientific line is signs that flash. At a certain speed you hit the point where it isn't just annoying or distracting and instead it is a potential health risk to anybody with epilepsy. I haven't seen too many like that but I know for sure where there is one in Pigeon Forge TN. If you have never been to PF, think of Vegas and take away most of the strippers/dancers and the cash payouts. Now replace the cash payouts with tokens/tickets that you turn in for prizes. Leave in all the tackiness, shows, plethora of hotels/resorts, buffets, and cheap souvenirs. If you ever feel a need ride a bunch of go karts, play lasertag til you drop, or eat your weight in pancakes then PF is the town for you.

Baron Harkonnen: AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.
How about flying an American flag doesn't automatically make you patriotic or a jingoist, and making a snap judgement like that is just really dumb.

I think that, as an Average American Guy, we have to go with his judgment on this.

put a lite brite in your window
put a tiger in your tank

The rules are aimed to limit possible distractions to drivers and to keep the city's streets from becoming cluttered with lighted pictures.

So it's really not about the flag.

If you tried to take down an electric swastika, the libs would be up in arms.

sarah_t_s: Petulant Dwarf: Can I fly the Union Jack?

If you want. Bonus points for it being the right way up.

/Doesn't know which way up it's supposed to go.
//Is British

I once pissed off a Dutch guy by telling him he was flying the French flag sideways.

Barfmaker: I thought Andy Williams was dead.



RIP Paul Williams.

MooseUpNorth: ThisNameSux: AverageAmericanGuy: Flying a flag doesn't make you patriotic. It makes you a jingoist.

Only if you're American, right?

You know who else flew flags everywhere and displayed political symbols on every surface, and insisted upon lapel pins?

/ Seriously guys, 1938 called and asked that you tone down the flag flying a bit. It's creeping them right the hell out.

I'll reply to your post, nothing personal, just a random reply. My wife is from another country. She finds it rather strange how often we fly our flag everywhere. I don't fly a flag, but then again, it would not be something I would avoid either. Call me ambivalent.

sarah_t_s: Petulant Dwarf: Can I fly the Union Jack?

If you want. Bonus points for it being the right way up.

/Doesn't know which way up it's supposed to go.
//Is British

my gf is english, living here in the states, and that is her biggest pet peeve. if she sees one hanging the wrong way, i get an earful about it for the next half hour.

How about the one I drive by on my way home from work. That thing is bloody bright. Too bright. A couple of times I've done a startled double take, which I think is pretty normal when seeing overly-bright, flashing red, white and blue lights in one's rearview mirror. That's the first time I've ever wanted to burn a flag sign.

Does the electronic sign pose an actual serious hazard to public safety?

If not...

farking Amendment I, how does it work?

The only time I have an american flag in my hand is when I have a match in the other

Nem Wan: The city I live in has no such ordinance against electronic graphics. And I'm sure it's a complete coincidence that one of the world's largest electronic sign manufacturers is based here.

Still, it's silly that rules like this are arbitrarily enacted because local officials in one place think it's necessary and other in another place don't. Whether these signs are dangerous distractions or not could be objectively observed through scientific study, but instead we let politicians go with their gut. Hell, why do we have democracy at all when I am perfectly capable of deciding what rules I would like there to be?

Without democracy there is no basis for good argument

Four residents expressed gratitude that the city was cracking down on digital graphics.

Well it's good that these four busybodies can now rest easy.

Silent But Deadly: I'll reply to your post, nothing personal, just a random reply. My wife is from another country. She finds it rather strange how often we fly our flag everywhere. I don't fly a flag, but then again, it would not be something I would avoid either. Call me ambivalent.

Americans are used to it. (I'd say "desensitized", but I'm not trying to snark now), but I'm not surprised she feels that way. Seriously, it really does remind of old 'rise of WWII' films. Very creepy.

StrangeQ: Four residents expressed gratitude that the city was cracking down on digital graphics.

Well it's good that these four busybodies can now rest easy.

Are you kidding? Busybodies can never rest. They're like sharks that must swim to survive. Busybodies MUST keep busybodying. It's both their curse and their superpower.

styckx: Smeggy Smurf: Fly a real flag you cocksucker