Nearly 3,000 flags recall troops' sacrifices

[babylonsister]

December 26th, 2006 2:01 pm
Nearly 3,000 flags recall troops' sacrifices

By Mará Rose Williams / Kansas City Star

For three years, in lieu of holiday lights, Joe Spector has filled the front lawn of his Overland Park home with American flags.

Each 12-inch flag represents a service member killed in Iraq.

This year, 2,900 of the star-spangled streamers wave; last year there were 2,000. With five friends helping, it took three hours to cover the lawn at 6520 W. 106th St. The flags will remain for three weeks.

“I’ve had to go to smaller flags this year to get them all in the front yard,” Spector said. “And since we put them up, there have been probably 20 or 30 more killed,” Spector said Sunday.

He started dressing his lawn in flags after a close friend’s son was kill in the war.

“There were no special honors for him, and no mention in the (Massachusetts) papers,” where he lived, Spector said. “I want people to remember the sacrifices that these people have made for this country. They don’t get enough recognition.”

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latestnews/index.php?id=8762

[Monkeyman]

1. If this up with the pace it is

Soon his front yard will be to small to plant the flags

[northofdenali]

2. More and more, I'm seeing folks awakening to these losses.

I live in a military town. It's understandable that there are yellow ribbons everywhere. The one I see most frequently in my neighborhood (the post is right next door) is "Half my heart is in Iraq" (or Afghanistan). Along with many, many "Welcome Home" banners (the 172nd Stryker Brigade made it home for the holidays), I'm seeing more and more "Out of Iraq" bumper stickers, and anti-* signs and stickers.

Two years ago, you ran a real risk of vehicle damage with stickers like those. Now, even uniformed troops comment and, occasionally, laugh or thank you for them.

But * still won't listen, and refuses to learn, that we need to bring our troops home NOW.

Spector is a patriot.