Originally Posted by John C. Ratliff

This morning, rather than just taking off on my commute to work, I stopped and thought for a minute. I then went to a drawer in my garage and pulled out an American Flag that I had found several years ago. I was bicycling and found that flag beside the road, in the dirt. Not liking people abusing the flag, I picked it up, and put it on my bike for a little while, then took it off.

Now, I decided that I want the American Flag back on my bicycle. I ride a recumbent, and use a flag anyway. Gasoline prices are now over $3.20/gallon here, and still people drive their big, gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups all over the place here. My riding a bicycle to work, and around town, minimizes by consumption of gasoline, which minimizes my need for gasoline too. By doing that, I'm supporting our troops, airmen, and other military personnel in a small way, and also minimizing my environmental footprint.

I wanted this advocacy forum to see that, from now at least through Memorial Day, I will be flying the American Flag on my bike. I may fly it longer, until the troops are out of active combat in Iraq, for instance (I personally think that we'll have a presence there for many, many years, like we do in Korea). Being a Vietnam Veteran, I feel it is important to support our military personnel in combat, and what better way of doing so than by minimizing our need for the product that requires foreign oil, gasoline.

John