Letter: Fourth inaccuracies continue for another year

Posted 6/27/19

Well, the start of official Fourth activity was marked by events held at the bandstand on the Town Common June 14. So let’s review some of the around town Fourth activity that feature …

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Letter: Fourth inaccuracies continue for another year

Posted

Well, the start of official Fourth activity was marked by events held at the bandstand on the Town Common June 14. So let’s review some of the around town Fourth activity that feature Bristol’s recognized spots/events that show off our appreciation and expertise about the Fourth. After all, we are recognized as the oldest when it comes to the Fourth celebration.

Town Common, June 14, Flag Day, and we hear a number of town official rail about another Bristol Fourth celebration, and all of them tell us it’s our 234th … oops … it is our 235th. We began with the first one in 1785. Count that one as the first, do year by year and — yep, your math teachers were correct, 2019 will be 235. Oh well.

Ok, now on to our very prized Fourth button. In fact, there are two to three months of print about the competition, who it is opened up to and requirements, and of course, deservedly, we have that day of publicity where the winner is publicly announced and pictured. Sometime it is a repeat. Sometime the brother of, sister of, cousin of a prior winner, as is the one for this year.

And the competition certainly does generate a lot of younger school age children for the honor and the prize … oops, the adult committee of some town educators and Fourth of July Committee members have awarded this year’s winner for last year’s celebration. Yes, the button does display erroneously “234th.” And the flag is being shown incorrectly. Oh my. Those educators and Fourth Committee members are allowing a whole generation of Bristolians to accept false information.

And, of course, who could be more of a beneficiary (financially) of the Fourth, patriotism, and the flag? Yes. Linden Place. Pay that fee and receive your box lunch. Enjoy the parade with its emphasis on the flag and the Fourth and, ok, let’s look all around the grounds of Linden Place. What? No United States of America flag flying. Oops. Oh well.

And on the bandstand, all those town and Fourth committee members, hyping the button, and … Oops, not a one of them wearing the button. Huh?

Well, despite all the little slips, we do honor America, those who fought in the Revolution, and our flag on that particular day.

So, let’s follow the instructions given to us in the last couple of measures in George M. Cohan’s song: “You're a grand flag” and “keep your eye on that grand old flag,” except for any focus at Linden Place, where there is no flag on which to keep an eye.

Owen E. Trainor III 
Bristol

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