Do you fly the flag? When?

[Diogenes_the_Cynic]

So?

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

@FoieGrasIsEvil

I have a three by five footer attached to a 4x4 porch support post that flies 24/7. No biggie. My family has always had an American flag flying since I was a lad. Nothing showy, just a flag. It’s a good reminder of where we were, where we’ve been and where we are now. I would only take it down when the black helicopters and jack-booted thugs come calling. I love my country and all but I suspect that most people like me just like having it…it’s really no big deal nor is it some lame attempt to “be more patriotic than the other guy”.

And my military upbringing and my own personal experience with the Army colors that some. The flag means something to me and to many, but it isn’t “America…Fuck Yeah!”

Simply put, to me, it’s more about honoring the concept of the nation, the ideals it’s supposed to uphold, and the many that have died trying to fulfill that vision. Nothing more, nothing less.

Here’s my honest take…sorry I took so long to respond.

@Diogenes_the_Cynic

No. I’m not into arm band patriotism…or any kind of patriotism, for that matter.

When you wrote “arm band patriotism”, I instantly thought Nazism. Apparently that wasn’t your intention. Sorry.

@FoieGrasIsEvil

Hey! That’s insulting to people like me that fly the flag for my own reasons, none of which encapsulate your thinly veiled attempt to equate flying the flag with Nazism.

It’s becoming harder and harder to believe that you actually served in our armed forces with an open mind.

Sorry!

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@devilsknew

…he’s a great guy, just a Southern patriot and I think a bit homesick. Nothing nefarious, and I am not offended by either’s choice

You can’t be a “Southern patriot”. You can be a patriot from the South, but this guy doesn’t seem to meet that definition.

[devilsknew]

@Diogenes_the_Cynic

The Confederate flag is, by definition, anti-American. I don’t know what a “Southern patriot” is. The south isn’t a country.

@Desert_Nomad

As far as I know, such a form of protest is still legal.

@Really_Not_All_That_Bright

You can’t be a “Southern patriot”. You can be a patriot from the South, but this guy doesn’t seem to meet that definition.

He’s an Austonian, so that should both clear it up and exonerate him.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

Ah, Austonia. I went there for my honeymoon. Beautiful culture.

[gaffa]

I fly it on the 4th of July, and when I have political signs in my yard - mostly to try to connect Democratic yard signs with patriotism. I suppose I could run a copy of the Bill of Rights up the flagpole, but it would be harder to read.

[Martini_Enfield]

@Imasquare

The flag wavers are usually loud, ignorant, bigoted types advertising themselves with a sticker on their car that says something along the lines of Australia… Love it or f**k off. Nice people.

This is exactly why I don’t fly an Australian flag. Not that I would anyway, because I’m not a patriotic person at the best of times. But even on Australia Day, the above reminds me why I’m not going to fly an Australian flag.

[Alessan]

Not doing something because other people do it is exactly the same as doing something because other people do it.

[Kalhoun]

My husband flies an American flag and an MIA/POW flag. I don’t.

[Little_Nemo]

I fly a flag in front of my house. Sure, some of the people flying a flag are idiots but the flag doesn’t belong to them.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@FoieGrasIsEvil

…Simply put, to me, it’s more about honoring the concept of the nation, the ideals it’s supposed to uphold, and the many that have died trying to fulfill that vision. Nothing more, nothing less.

I agree with this, and would add that the historical resonance of flags has also appealed to me since I first learned about them in Boy Scouts. I have a number of replica historic flags that I fly from time to time; right now my house sports the Guilford Courthouse flag, which is pretty funky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilford_Courthouse_flag

Other favorites of mine include the Ft. Sumter flag (Fort Sumter Flag - Wikipedia), the Easton flag (Flag of Easton, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia), the Serapis flag (Serapis flag - Wikipedia), the Green Mountain Boys’ flag (Flag of the Green Mountain Boys - Wikipedia), and the so-called Betsy Ross flag (Betsy Ross flag - Wikipedia).

Flags make me happy, too. There’s a lot of history and symbolism packed into a small piece of fabric. But I would never fault anyone for choosing not to display a flag.