Where are the flags?

In the course of my travels today I've been in Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene. The contrast to the landscape of several years ago is disheartening. Few homes are flying flags, and fewer businesses. I saw only one vehicle with a large flag placed in the bed of the truck. I saw many large flags not being flown at half staff, including on government buildings. I made some phone calls to various businesses and government offices and without exception, when they were reminded that this was September 11 the flags were lowered. But I wonder about the mindset of the citizenry eight years after foreign terrorists attacked America at home, killed over 2,000 people and impacted the way we live in the Land of the Free. American troops continue to serve their country in combat, continue to give their lives to insure we don't have to live in fear. And on this beautiful sunshiney Friday eight years later we seem to have lost the outrage, the patriotism and the willingness to make a statement.
I'd like to recognize the following businesses who fly large, highly visible flags throughout the year and who today are flying those flags at half-staff: Knudtsen Chevrolet, Trading Company Post Falls, GW Hunters, Shilo Inn, Perkins, Robideaux Motors and the Coeur d'Alene Resort.
Thank you to the cities of Post Falls (City Hall) and Coeur d'Alene (City Hall, the library, Independence Point, Third Street Bell, and Forest Cemetery) and Kootenai County (in the Ronald D. Rankin Veterans Memorial Plaza) for seeing to it that flags belonging to the people are at half-staff.
*I realize that there are likely other businesses who are flying flags at half-staff in honor of September 11 that I did not see, so please let me know of those. I plan to include them in next week's Main Street column.