Wednesday, July 15, 2009

What's the definition of a fanatic?

I believe it was Winston Churchill who said that a fanatic is someone who cannot change his mind and will not change the subject. This truth was illustrated to me at of all places a charming little Independence Day parade that was held in our neighborhood.

The parade itself was a slice of Americana, with a hook and ladder truck from a local fire station leading the procession of parents and little kids riding their bicycles, which were decorated with flags and tinsel glistening with patriotic colors:



My daughter and me.



Pretty neat, right? But then, there was one family who just couldn't let it go; they had to use the occasion of our country's birthday to show that they don't realize the difference between our country and our government, and that they don't have a clue as to what it is we celebrate every fourth of July:



When I attended the local Tax Day Tea Party back in April, I was wearing my "Viva la Reagan Revolucion" t-shirt and carrying my "Don't Tread On Me" flag over my shoulder. On this day however, I purposely left the politics at home and just carried an American flag in my hat. Too bad these fanatics could not show similar restraint.

Good Day to You, Sir

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe those are the only 4th of July type shirts they happened to have??

W.R. Chandler said...

Nice try, but I will assume that you noticed the many other patriotic accoutrements - the flag in the back pocket, the red/white/blue wig and flag draped over the kid's back - which made the Obama shirt and the picture of Obama taped to the kid's back totally unnecessary and totally inappropriate.

Like I said... fanatics.

Anonymous said...

I guess I should have made it clear that I was being sarcastic? As I said before, you seem a little snarky this morning.

W.R. Chandler said...

Sarcasm doesn't often transmit very well with the written word; the ear needs to hear the inflection also.

Believe me, I have received plenty of comments in my time where what you said would be an absolutely serious assertion.

Darren said...

Where's Donalbain when you need him? :-)