Although I may not be able to, as Wal-Mart and Walgreens seem to have a ban on American flags.

It seems some people are unfamiliar with Flag Day, so to begin with, here is a nice summation of the holiday from Holiday Insights.com:

When : June 14th

Flag Day is a day for all Americans to celebrate and show respect for our flag, it’s designers, and makers. Our flag is representative of our independence and our unity as a nation… one nation, under God, indivisible. Our flag has a proud and glorious history. It was at the lead of every battle fought by Americans. Many people have died protecting it. It even stands proudly on the surface of the moon.

As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our culture, our nation, and our flag. So raise the flag today and every day with pride!

So, when I got out of my screening of Fantastic Four (review to come later) at approximately 3:30 in the morning, I figured I’d stop by Wal-Mart and get a flag.

Yeah, I came home empty-handed. This is me not happy.

I walked around that store no less than three times. I looked in every single department. No flags.

So, on the way home, I passed a 24-hour Walgreens. Remembering how, around seemingly every holiday, Walgreens has practically their entire store filled with decorations and other celebratory items, I thought, “Hey, they’ll have a flag, what with the 4th being right around the corner.” Nope. Wrong again.

What strikes me as interesting is how both Walgreens and Wal-Mart, as I said, fill their stores to celebrate other holidays. New Years? Check. Halloween? Check. “Winter Holiday Season”? Check. But strangely enough, there was nothing in either of these two stores to celebrate the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Is this indicative of all Wal-Marts and Walgreens? No, but it is strange to say the least.

Why is it difficult to find an American flag… in America? It really shouldn’t be.

I’ll continue the search tomorrow, and in the meantime, make sure you fly your flags proudly. If I ever find one, I will be.