I received another message recently from the Phantom Stranger. My pleasure to hear from him, surely.
Here’s what he had to say, with my remarks thereafter.
I have noticed that our proud American Flag was not displayed about town on Martin Luther King Day (Federal and State Holiday) nor today, Inauguration Day 2009…
I was out and about on Monday and Tuesday, and did not notice any additional display of the flag in the city. That’s too bad, really, for both occasions – Dr. King’s birthday commemoration and the Inauguration are both extraordinary events.
They are uniquely American – a man born of this nation, one of our own, so every fine an American, and a peaceful transition of political power through election in our vast, continental republic.
I surely admire King, but the city should embrace the national holiday in his honor regardless of whether he’s admired – American chooses, and Whitewater would be honoring that national choice. Our world should not, and does not, stop at the edge of the city.
I know very well that some here think that Whitewater is unique in all the world, and that outside practices are suspect, unwelcome, etc. So be it – feel what you want about how you can solve all the world’s ills with a local touch in under 20 minutes, outside world’s practices be damned. You’ll keep this city a third-tier wreck, but then you’ve done as much all these years, anyway.
Even more risible, though, is the narrowly-held but intense local notion that Whitewater is somehow more American than America. That through Whitewater, one truly understands America. It’s the other way around – through the free and empowering opportunities and rights of America, one can truly appreciate life in Whitewater.
The Phantom Stranger wrote more still, about whether a prominent local property owner should have displayed the flag on these recent, memorable occasions. Here, I will look to my own property first, and take these remarks to heart — I might have done more to commemorate the occasion at my house, but did not. Next year, I will, for the Dr. King Holiday, and four years from now, at the next Inauguration.
I’ll encourage others to do the same, the choice being theirs.
You’ll have no problem seeing if I have made this commitment – I live at the House of Dissenting Opinion™, the one with the full-size portrait of F.A. Hayek in the living room.