America - showing the flag has gone too far

Great Debates
1

I’d like to think I’m as patriotic as any American. I put the flag out on my porch for holidays, or on sunny days when I feel like it. I feel good when seeing it flying from people’s houses, public buildings, and the like. I work on a military post, and when the colors are displayed, I give the appropriate display of respect.

In recent times, however, folks seem to be putting the flag everywhere. Stickers and decals on cars, patches on uniforms (not police/firefighters). It’s on almost every pro sports teams’ uniforms or equipment somewhere. While I think this kind of display is well intended, I feel like it generally devalues the meaning of the flag.

Here are three examples that I think cross the line:

I went to buy a soccer ball for my kid. At the store, there was a bin full of balls that had little flags all over them, one flag in each hexagonal section of the ball. This is a ball that goes on the ground, and you kick it. Not my idea of a respectful display.

Some office mates of mine have little scotch tape-like sticky tabs that they use to mark places in paperwork. A little American flag waving at you from the edge of some memo that you’ll read once and throw away. Seems like Old Glory deserves a better job than that.

Just last weekend I ran in the US Air Force marathon. This is a good place to show off some patriotism. Lots of flags flying, airmen competing, and with three general officers passing out the finisher’s medals. But, I could not believe my eyes when I saw a fellow runner with a US flag patch attached to his shorts, on his right butt cheek . Now, it could be that this guy was exercising his free speech to show disrespect for the flag, but I don’t think so. I think it was his cute way of showing it off. I was appaled.

Let the flag be the proud symbol it deserves to be. Give it a special place. It doesn’t need to be on everybody’s clothes, bumpers, sporting goods, or paperwork.

2

What irks me is the incessant half-staffing done here in Indianapolis. Did people fly the flag at half staff NEARLY EVERY DAY during WWII? Not according to the folks who were alive at the time that I asked.

What is up with this ostentation?

3

Right now the flag is at half-staff because the Governor just died.

4

Wasn’t Abbie Hoffman arrested by the government for wearing an American flag t-shirt?

I think having 14 torn and dirty plastic flags on your SUV is akin to buring it. It’s disrepectful.

5

Was it at half staff because the Governor died THREE WEEKS AGO?

Was it at half staff because the Governor died TWO WEEKS AGO?

Don’t give me that crap. The flag has been flown at half staff INCESSANTLY for MONTHS. It’s nothing but self-important, stupid, ostentation do to that.

6

So, how do you people feel about those enamelled pins people are wearing on their lapels?

7

The lyrics to John Prine’s “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”

8

Exxxxxxcellent.

Our plan to degrade the foolish and pointless symbolism of the American flag continues.

[steeples fingers]

9

Flag worship annoys the hell out of me.

Seeing someone wearing a flag stuck to his butt annoys me.

Hearing somone bitch about someone who wears a flag stuck to his butt annoys me too.

It’s just a flag. It’s not sacred. The world isn’t going to come to an end if it touches the ground. It’s an inanimate object…hence, it cannot be “disrespected”.

Do other countries treat their flags with such reverance? Do other countries pledge allegiance to their flags like Americans do?

10

Not to mention mildly ironic.

What bothers me is a commercial for jeans that was aired a while ago. It had CCR’s “Fortunate Son” playing while scenes of people’s asses in their jeans alternated with pictures of a waving American flag.

A small section of the lyrics:

:confused:

11

In Australia, no. All that flag waving malarkey isn’t a big deal out here. We’re patriotic enough in our way, but we don’t go around beating the patriotism drum like you guys do. It seems rather crass.

12

Not in Ireland. We’ve got a lot of very patriotic people but absolutely nothing like the flag culture you guys have over there. We also have nothing like the un-American BS either. If a critic of the government etc was called un-Irish they’d be laughed at.

13

I meant the person calling the critic un-Irish would be laughed at.

14

Some of the countries I’ve visited have a little thing they call the royal family. They put pictures on decals and stuff. It’s really neat.

15

As an Englishman and proud of it I would love to see the Cross of St. George flown on a regular basis from our local council offices, I have never even seen it flown ONCE.

Stop your bitching Americans and be proud of what you have and also remember your flag is a SYMBOL of your country. Incidentally LATRO I have an American flag pin in my lapel along with both The Union Flag and the Flag of St. George.

16

I have to say that I never saw as many flags as I did when I was in Switzerland. In the little towns I passed through there was a flag on nearly every building. The U.S. doesn’t come close.

Ed

17

Having just returned from Belfast, I think you might want to qualify that statement.

18

What really bothers me is that every politician feels it necessary to wear one of those lapel pins. Does Bush honestly believe that those who question his patriotism will be quieted by a stunning display from a pin on his right lapel?

I believe there was an article in Rolling Stone a few months ago about this. I believe it was by Arthur Schlesinger and it was in the “American Icons” issue. He also raised the point about people wearing American flag shirts to funerals for fallen soldiers and so forth. All of this recent flag-waving has seemed to diminish the icon considerably.

19

The only place in the whole world where I have seen more national flags flying than the USA was Dublin in June/July 2002.

No why was that? :smiley:

20

ruadh I did say Ireland :wink: In NI they have a lot of bullshit about what “tribe” they are a member of.

And while there may have been lots of flags around for the world cup nobody(well nearly) flies flags as a norm on their house etc.