Passing through several small communities today, we saw many homes displaying American flags. Some were large, some were very small. Some hung from poles, while some were on tiny wood dowels and stuck in flower plots on front porches.

Some were large, inflatable affairs, lit up, with a made-in-China tiny air compressor to keep them inflated like those oversized Santas always half-toppled over in the snow around Christmas. And something twinged deep in the chest.

Flags are important, to be sure. Perhaps there are more this year than any other since 2001. And they should fly, because this is an American day. But a large inflatable flag?

Please do not turn this into a holiday. Parades should be solemn. Memorials, not celebrations. Sobriety, not outrageous clutter. Today is not a day to celebrate all that’s fun about being an American, but to remember all that is great.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.