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Quick note from Red State Land
Fred, feel free to delete this if itâs inappropriate. This isnât news, but Iâll keep it short. Iâm on vacation at a dude ranch in western Michigan, and last Friday night I attended a rural small town rodeo. Weâve been to this one several times. Attendance is about 800 or so, and theyâre all small town America folks. Itâs a weekly rodeo and the wranglers from the dude ranch help run it, including performing the opening act. Thatâs the reason for this note. The wranglers, 8 of them in all, come into the ring on horses carrying flags. Itâs usually American flags with one Canadian flag mixed in, and the wranglers ride around in a few patterns to the tune of Tim McGrawâs "Rodeo". Well this time the announcer says, "please stand as we salute Americaâs heroes", and the wranglers come into the ring with only a couple American flags, one Canadian flag -- and a Navy flag, an Army flag, a Marine Corp flag, an Air Force flag, and a flag to represent all the police and firefighters in the country. And the crowd stops whatever theyâre doing, stand and cheer. For the entire routine. When the wranglers are done one of them sings the "Star Spangled Banner", and everyone -- everyone -- stands, sings and puts a hand over their heart. The opening ends with the Cowboy Prayer, a big cheer, and on with the bull riding. Just a note from red state land. Posted by: Steve White 2003-08-26 |
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