Blogs 12 Long Island: Patriotism on Long Island

By Ken Grimball

I was very impressed as I walked down Park Avenue, in Wantagh, on Friday morning, July 4th.

My assignment was to do a story on three Long Island Fourth Of July parades. The cloudy and humid weather would make the best of us want to stay in our air conditioned homes, especially on a day we are allowed to have that second or even third cup of coffee while looking through the morning paper.

But this was not the story in Wantagh, as well as many other Long Island towns. The sidewalks in Wantagh were lined with patriotic residents from the surrounding community. Many children were tastefully and carefully dressed in red, white, and blue colors. Some youngsters and adults were seated in beach chairs anticipating the excitement of the annual Fourth of July Parade. Others stood clutching coffee cups and water bottles. Patriotism appeared to be alive and well in this Nassau County community.

There were apparently no thoughts of high gas prices, impending home foreclosures, and no evidence of our troubled economy. There were happy people waving flags, smiling, hugging and cheering on volunteers from the local fire company, along with the people who live down the block.

It was Main Street at its best on the 232nd birthday of the good old U.S. of A