Borne of a discussion my wife and I had this morning:
I want to get an American flag. I was struck by sudden feelings of patriotism (not that I’m unpatriotic usually) yesterday while chatting with my grandfather-in-law about his experiences in World War II (for reference, he was a decorated sniper, got his bronze star at Remagen) and in general about politics. He was of the opinion that the flag meant the country and the constitution and not those jokers currently in the White House.
My wife, meanwhile, is VERY concerned about not blending in with the typical flag-waving psychopaths who unfortunately comprise part of our town (given that it’s a college town in central PA, we get a very interesting mix of liberal and conservative, with a healthy dose of freakin’ insane from both ends).
So to the dope I put the question: Is there any good way to fly the US flag proudly, while somehow indicating through a method or subsidiary decorations that your current president can go hang? (I suppose the “Support the Troops–bring 'em home” bumper sticker might do)
My suggestion is if you want to fly the flag, and are doing so honorably - AND PLEASE LEARN THE RULES - YES THERE ARE RULES, go do so and don’t be concerned what others will think.
Americans should not be proud of being Americans and what it stands for at this point in history. We put that motherfucker in office and he has proceeded to destroy the reputation and capabilities of our country to lead the world. We have to own that.
IMHO, George Bush needs to be out on his ass from the White House, and preferably facing criminal charges, before America can raise itself back toward respectability.
I am flying my flag today. It is in memorial of fallen vets. It is in memorial of one great uncle I never knew and one old friend that died in this current fiasco. It has nothing to do with supporting this President and the current policies.
Don’t worry about the political message of the flag. Just fly it for the right reason and remember all those that died for good reasons and bad, but died in service to our country.
Ok, then what exactly are you proud of? This is a serious question – there are certainly parts of our history that we can be proud of. But what does America do – NOW – that you are proud of? You’re right, it’s not just the assholes, it’s the damage and shame they are heaping on our country.
And it’s not merely a matter of bad politics – how many federal agencies have been FEMA’d into incapable shells of their former selves, by hack Bush loyalists? We can’t respond as a nation effectively to major emergencies anymore.
These shit for brains are fucking DISMANTLING my country before my very eyes. That’s worthy of a flag flying at half staff, but there’s probably some rule against that.
However, I really can’t defend my position, as it’s an opinion and nothing more. I’m just explaining why I feel the way I do, and you are certainly entitled to believe differently.
If everyone decides that only “psychopaths” fly the flag, then it will become true. I fly my flag quite a lot, partly so that it won’t. But mostly because I want to fly the flag.
IMO, just put your flag out there and don’t worry about anything else. You know your reasons.
I proudly fly the U.S. flag at my house because I love my country and because that flag is a symbol of the freedoms (including freedom of speech, press, protest, assembly and religion, all of which I am especially fond) we still enjoy in this country. I also fly the flag of the U.S. Navy when my youngest son visits, to honor him and his shipmates throughout the U.S. military. And I use every opportunity that comes my way to express my loathing of the incompetent boob elected by a delusional American electorate – twice.
I used to make a subtle statement in that direction by hanging out my great-aunt’s 48 star flag of WW2 vintage, with stitched-on stars and stripes. It wasn’t faded or stained or ripped, but the typical flag-waving yahoo would have had it burned long ago.
Heh, my dad’s in the American Legion color guard, I was in a color guard and was color keeper for my Civil Air Patrol squad in high school – I know the rules by heart.
Thanks for the responses, all. I’m gonna fly it proud, see if I can get some Army and Navy flags as well (for dad, all four grandparents, several uncles and cousins…), and not worry about the haters–that flag’s up there for the ideal we should be looking at.
Because you (well the OP) have a desire to fly the flag out of patriotism, to do it for that reason rules have been established. To fly it ignoring those rules shows you are not flying it for patriotic rules, for if you were you will be obeying the rules on how to fly the flag patriotically.
Or in other words, a flag in itself doesn’t mean much, it is the ceremony and respect behind it.
Contrary to the opinion of the immature and less informed, the flag of the United States of America stands for so much more than the misdeeds and attitudes of the current generation and the current administration.
Just take today (Memorial Day) for example. Sixty-three years ago, most of Europe was under the control of a maniacal dictator. A generation of America’s young men picked up rifles and walked across western Europe during one of the worst winters in contemporary memory and did something about it because their sense of duty led them to do so. That sense of duty is respresented in that flag. On Memorial Day, if you can’t stop, look at that flag, and thank those men and thousands upon thousands of other men and women like them, then shame on you.
If, instead, you choose to use this as an avenue to do some Bush Bashing so you can be one of the kewl kids on SDMB, then shame on you. That flag represents the freedom you have to to express your opinions in a public forum without fear of being jailed. That flag also represents the opportunity for you to go down to the voting booth and do something about the current jokers.
There’s much more to the United States than the current administration - the flag is a symbol for an institution that reaches back for much longer, and it will hopefully extend into the future. No country has an unblemished record.
In other words, your Grandfather-in-Law has it right, in my opinion.
If you care enough for the country to try to change it for the better, fly the flag proudly. If anyone takes it as support for the administration, that is their problem.
Speaking as an inveterate lefty, Bush-hater, and generally unpatriotic slouch, I don’t attach any particular political position to flying the US flag, other than, “Yay America!” I wouldn’t assume you were a Bush supporter just because of the flag.
Perhaps have a sign on or near the flagpole saying something like “Up With America, Down With Bush !”
It does, I think. IMHO, the Right in this country has so co-opted the flag and the general concept of patriotism that most people will immediately see any display of one as support for Bush, the Republicans and probably the war in Iraq. Unless you make it crystal clear that you do not.