Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1126261
Out There by Gregg Losinski A Preamble to Independence Day 70 IDAHO FALLS MAGAZINE JUNE 2019 Aside from Father's Day, June is one of those months that retailers really haven't figured out how to exploit from a holiday merchandising perspective. Fortunately, from a retail product display standpoint the things that you market for Father's Day and Flag Day are perfect lead-ins for the 4th of July. The Founding Fathers, woefully ignorant of the retail potential, declared independence from Britain too early in the month to allow for the markup and then discounting of picnic supplies and BBQ grills. That is why for the sake of national pride, it is so important that we embrace Flag Day. In some parts of the country, Flag Day is seen as akin to celebrating Jefferson Davis's Birthday. Fortunately, that is not the cause in good old Idaho Falls, the place that I like to consider as the Lake Wobegone of the West. Here, we are still proud to celebrate being Americans, despite whatever warts we may have. We know we aren't perfect, but we must be pretty darn desirable enough that we need to build a wall to control access. Flags are symbols, but they are really much more than that. Traditionally, they represented the sovereign nature of a people or a place. When the flag was lost, so too was the battle, and in many cases the country. Flags may seem like silly vestiges of the past, flown behind men clapping coconut shells together, but in other parts of the world, where there is or has been strife, they are stark declarations of who is in power and who isn't. Here in Idaho Falls, we display BYU or BSU flags on game days, but it is all in good spirited fun. Imagine a place where the flying of a flag could get your home fire- bombed or even you and your family killed. The Idaho Falls Exchange Club organizes the Field of Honor Flag Display at the west end of Broadway Avenue, my hat is off to them. It is great to see such a stirring dis- play of America Flags that isn't from a pan- cake house or RV dealership. Officially, Flag Day may only be on June 14th but really shouldn't it be every day? I have a neighbor who some folks might look at and wonder, "What kind of citizen is he?" But I'll tell you that he proudly flies the American Flag everyday of the year. I know, if it ever came down to it, he would die for this country. Americans come in all flavors, but I would like to think that we are all good looking and above average! Why else would so much else of the World want to be like us? Long may Old Glory wave! IF