USA Flags At Wild West?

[BIGRED_Z-71]

Hey guys... as you all know i'm going to the wild west meet on the 22nd thru 26th, so I have a question to be asked. do you think it would be cool if I put a pair of usa flags (5x3) on two poles on the back of my av? I mean it's like 15 avalanches in a row... why not carry the american pride with us? so does anybody think this is a bad idea or not? my avalanche all ready has a usa bow tie... and I am planing on having the rear window tinted usa too.

I was planing on having two flags just at the rear in the bed... any ideas on how to attach them? so at high speeds there is no trouble? i'm not too worried about losing them. It's just i don't want to carry any problems with us or anything. Thanks for your feedback and i'll see you guys there!


~BIGRED

 

[Chief]

I would strongly prefer if we did not do this. Nothing against the American flag, nothing against showing our pride - but there are a few reasons why I'm against this.

1) Right now in the Klamath Basin it is a very highly politically charged area, and the Tule Lake Wild Life Refuge is at the center of the controversy. Emotions are very high on all sides (farmers, native Americans, fish and wildlife service, local tourism, eco-weenies) and not only is it my preference that we be neutral in this area - it is of concern. The Klamath Basin is not a place to go into making a statement.

2) Honestly and man I hate to say this but from Arcada to Crescent City, you are in the home of the enemy - it is eco-weenie fairy tale land, but it is incredibly beautiful. Fourteen three ton Chevrolet trucks rolling through the redwoods together is going to draw enough attention as it is.

3) For the vehicle directly behind you the flags are going to be a nusance. The noise and the flapping, and if they extend outward passenger or driver side they are going to reduce visibility. It will not be possible for you to be the "tail" vehicle as that individual has a very, very busy job of assisting me in keeping track of everyone behind me.

4) This is more nit picky - but there is the issue of if something breaks or a flag tears up then the entire group has to stop - on Saturday in particular this isn't going to be very fair. The other alternative is you would have to drop out, make repairs and then catch up. Not exactly fair either. I have yet to see a flag of that size that could handle traveling at highway speed and not shred itself up in a very short period of time.

The bottom line is this - there is drawing "a"ttention and there is drawing "A"ttention. If this was a single day cruise in Washington D.C. or on the 4th of July or Memorial Day weekends I'd be all for this. This is four days and going to some places that are very highly charged (last year in the Klamath farmers and US Marshalls were literally gun barrel to gun barrel) and these are the kind of places that "A"ttention can be a very bad thing.

The purpose of Wild West 2002 is not to draw "A"ttention.

 

[Chasman]

Chief, now that you've pointed it out I think I will do a little research on the issues in this area.
Have you put any thought into our reaction as a group or individuals to road blocks or confrontation at any of our stops?
Can we expect any eco-terrorism, and how do we plan for it? For example are locking gas caps and tire repair kits with compressors advisable?
Are there particular hot spots we should know about?

 

[Chief]

I will display my Texas flag on the cruise to Cloudcroft but will take it off in New Mexico.

Mine isn't as large and handles fine at highway speeds.

I know NO ONE will say ANYTHING about my flag in TEXAS

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

yeah all of a sudden you got me worried too. sorry about the flag idea... but then again thats why i brought it up. so i know. thanx chief.


~BIGRED

 

[Chief]

The problem in the Klamath Basin is not just an issue of eco-weenies. There is a strong anti-government sentiment there because the government is rightly blamed for the incredible mess in the area.

The best way to explain it in one paragraph is this way. There were five dying men in the desert - the only thing that would save them was a glass of water. But there was only one glass of water and the government owned it so the government promised the same glass of water to all five dying men.

1) Farmers
2) Local Native Americans
3) Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge
4) Downstream Native Americans
5) Eco-weenies

It's a real mess - things are far more relaxed this year due to ample rain and snow in the spring - I suspect if this will be an "El Nino" winter that they will be right back to where they were at.

In the Redwoods we won't be in one place long enough for there to be any real problems.

Again - the biggest thing is not drawing "A"ttention but "a"ttention.

Kind of get the picture?

 

[brmiller]

Let me get this straight: I agree that we should not call out additional attention to ourselves--I think this goes for politically charged areas or not. I personally cannot stand people who think they need all eyes on them.

However, are you (Chief, CAFCNA, or anyone else) going to establish what constitutes "A"ttention and what is simply self-expression? Please, please, do not let this start a 1st ammendment debate, but there ought to be guidelines here. Granted aside from the logistics and safety issues of 3'x5' flags, is this now to say NO American flags? No magnets, no decals in the window, no bowties?

I hate to bring this up, and I'm glad BigRed brought his question up before the cruise and not during, but I don't want to see a "de-flagging pit" at the entrance to Crater Lake. And I also just wish that everyone could use common sense, and I think most people will. But the Chief raises a good point. We may just be innocently naive in realizing what would set some group off. So what constitutes "too much" and what is alright?

Brendan

 

[gpfahler]

Based on what I see here my biggest concern would be "keying" the AV's that are unattended. I recommend that someone be disignated to keep a watchfull eye on the group vehicles. As you all are aware some of the eco groups are not happy with the SUV's that are on the road today. We have seen reports of keyings on the CAFCNA

I hope none of you are deterred from attending the event and expect all of you will have a great time.

Gary

 

[Chief]

I am certainly not saying no American flags - for that matter I'm not saying no 3X5 flags - I don't have that power. ?Heck if you wanted to fly two Nazi flags off the back of your truck the only thing I'd tell you is to drive about a mile behind us and please don't camp by my site, but other than that I have no say. I am saying that we don't want to draw "A"ttention and IMHO two 3X5 American flags driving in a convoy of Avalanches through Klamath Falls on a Saturday morning is going to draw "A"ttention.

I would recommend those window mounted American flags (the ones you roll the window up) but again at highway speeds their performance is sub-par at best.

That's all I'm saying. ?As long as we are respectful and don't act like a bunch of yahoo's the chances of a vehicle being vandalized is .000000000000001%. In the case of Lava Beds and Tule Lake the area is very remote, same goes for Crater Lake. At Redwoods the opposite is true, a ton of people going in and out so any organized effort would be very difficult to pull off.

Nothing to worry about as long as you don't draw "A"ttention.

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

yeah sorry if i caused any trouble, but once again thats why i asked this kinda stuff now.. not later when it can be a bigger problem. thanks chief for the info too... i can't wait for this trip it's going to be alot of FUN!


~BIGRED

 

[Chief]

I don't think you caused any trouble.

You were just asking.

BTW, You can bring them flags with you to TEXAS any day

Just make sure they are mounted securely

 

[Bigdaddy_D]

I'm with you goo, proudly showing the American flag is welcome in Tennessee anytime!
See trucks with 3x5 flags waving proudly all the time.

 

[BIGRED_Z-71]

goo... being texas my 2nd home... next time i'm down there i'll have those 3x5 flags on the rear and a pair of lone star flags on each window! lol i wonder if my av will fly with that much flapping?


~BIGRED