Anti-car American Flag

Anti-car American Flag
Originally uploaded by JOSEPH W CARRILLO

Anti-car American Flag
A flag to show that you can be patriotic while hating cars.

Uploaded by JOSEPH W CARRILLO on 11 Nov 10, 4.16PM PST.
_____________________________________________________

A SHORT ESSAY ON HOW CARS HAVE HELPED RUIN AMERICA AND HOW CARS HAVE HELPED THE ECONOMY OF AMERICA

Your new flag presents an Interesting concept, however I could not accept such an environmental symbol on my flag.

As I said, the concept is interesting and I do not actually believe your intent was to change the physical appearance of our national symbol, but to remind us that we could have successfully used a different means of transportation that would have been much more satisfactory.

IF I WAS GOING TO CHANGE the flag, I would place trains and subway systems somewhere within the flag (Perhaps the blue stripes could become train tracks?).

How wonderful it would have been had we built interurbans and commuter trains instead of autos.

WE MUST BLAME IKE ( of D-Day fame) * for building the interstates. Much of America was razed when the Interstate Highway System forever blemished our countryside. But would Americans have taken the trains? They would have used the trains had the railroads not discontinued many of their major trains and downsized the trains. There was a time when one could go from the largest city to the smallest town by train. I loved the trains. I hate to drive, especially as I grow older. In the 60s, there was half the population there is today; the roads were less crowded. Driving in the 60s was fun. Driving today is a fete that creates anxiety and stress. Is it because there are too many cars or too many people?

And what about the UAW? Where would they have been on the issue? That is yet another issue since we permitted foreign cars to invade our market.

Do you recall when the auto workers were making big money? Yes, in the mid 50s the auto workers were making $6 to $10 per hour; they were in the money, able to buy the homes in the suburbs. Of course, the unions were very picky about their workers. Very few minorities were in the unions then. So, you can clearly see how all of this effects the sorrows of the minorities and how it affected our economy. There was prosperity for some and further poverty for others.

I find your image interesting and a subject that could launch a new look at transportation, labor unions, mass transit and economics in America from the time Henry Ford began his factories. Please respond and let me know how you would get a ban on cars into effect.

Robert L. Huffstutter
*I saw President Eisenhower in 1960 while I was stationed in San DIego in the USN. He was riding in an open convertible, sitting up on the back seat, waving and smiling at the well-wishers

My thanks to Joseph W. Carrillo for the unique flag image and the inspiration it created in my mind.