News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters' main thoroughfare is no longer festooned with red, white and blue.
The flags that adorned the light posts have been removed as per the original agreement with Bob and Jeri Buckmann, who proposed the Adopt-a-Flag Program to place the star spangled banners through town.
The flags were up through Fourth of July, Sisters Rodeo and the Quilt Show. They will be raised again on appropriate special occasions, including patriotic holidays, according to city administrator Eileen Stein.
The official flag flying dates are: Memorial Day through Flag Day (June 14); Fourth of July Weekend; Labor Day Weekend; Patriot's Day (September 11); Election Day; Veterans Day; and Presidents' Day.
The removal did not sit well with some local folks who want to see the patriotic display on a regular basis (see Letters to the Editor, page 2).
There may be a difference of perceptions at play. According to Stein, several Sisters City Councilors insisted that the flags should not fly continually - out of patriotic feeling.
They don't want the stirring sight to become a mere commonplace.
"The concern was that if the flags were up all the time it would minimize the patriotic impact," Stein said.
Stein acknowledged that the display makes a strong impression on travelers, who would not be jaded by seeing it all the time.
Stein also noted that all flag sponsors were informed when they purchased a flag that the banners would only fly on certain days.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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