Continuing the discussion from Show support for Ukraine by generating trash!:
I’m a liberal who thinks we’ve got a lot of work to do before America can come close to fulfilling its promise, but I still love my country, and I wish I could fly an American flag without people making the assumption that I’m a right-wing, gun-nut, Trump supporter.
Nah, it’s easy. Fly another flag alongside (or beneath). Pride, BLM, etc. Take your pick. The message will be clear.
They said, the racists and loons around here don’t fly the American flag to signal their conservative virtue. That’s what the confederate flag is for. Or MAGA gear.
If you want to fly an American flag, do it to show that you don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks of your motives.
For what it’s worth, I don’t assume that of people flying the American flag.
I think you’re exaggerating the situation. I am a liberal and I fly an American flag in front of my house because it’s not just a Republican thing. If someone thinks that means I’m a MAGA person that’s their problem, and they’re wrong.
It isn’t. Don’t let them. Fly the Flag when you want to. The Republicans shouldn’t be allowed to co-opt it or hide behind it. Nor should Dems.
Isn’t the point of flying any flag that you care what somebody else thinks of your motives? I mean, they’re a symbol, and only a symbol.
OP wanted to fly a flag, but was concerned about what other’s would think, so I said…
Oh, nevermind.
I think that’s right. If you just enjoy the pretty colors, you’d hang it in your living room instead of your front yard. I have generally positive feelings about this country (U.S.A.) but not any special feelings about the flag.
I don’t agree with the comments in this thread that you can just hand-wave away society’s interpretation of a symbol and substitute your own. Like it or not, some symbols are simply irreversibly hijacked.
A Buddhist may lament the fact that the swastika is now a Nazi symbol, but you can’t take it back. Waving a swastika flag in public is going to get you condemned regardless of your intention.
You may want the word “gay” to mean its original definition of happy or cheerful, but if you go about in public telling people “I’m gay,” they will certainly take it to mean as a statement of homosexuality rather than its old meaning.
Someone may want to wave the rainbow flag “because Noah’s Ark was followed by God’s covenant not to flood the Earth again” but if they do, people will take it to be an LGBT message.
I don’t know if the American flag has been hijacked to that extent yet, but we can’t just pretend society’s interpretation doesn’t matter. It would be like wearing a MAGA hat but claiming, “It means Make Apricots Good Again!”
I do. Without a secondary signal that they aren’t assholes, I’m going to default that way every time. It’s an easy read, just like MAGA hats, lifted pickups and the like. I’m correct in my call way more often than I am wrong.
I would like to point out that both in Germany and in Spain the respective national flags have been more hijacked that merely co-opted by the right wing. They seem to be very good at that kind of cultural appropiation, it comes naturally to them. One of the tell tales of fascism is identifying the nation with its symbols and a leader.
So how about a house with American Flag for National Holidays but a Prius out front? What is your interpretation of that?
Why should I need to show some anti-MAGA thing to fly my flag occasionally? I would think just not having a Trump related thing would be enough.
It’s going to be very community dependent, I’m sure. I don’t mind taking ekedolphin’s word that in their community, flying an American flag is viewed as conservative signaling.
Yeah, co-opt 'em right back. And consider flying a second flag to help create the desired impression.
My town is pretty divided. Almost 50-50 between Dems and Repubs. The Trumpites are a smaller percentage and usually the biggest idiots. I don’t assume a flag = MAGA. We do have a very large vet community for some reason and I added to that. So flags are common here, and almost universal on July 4th.
But this town is a little crazy on the decorating side. I’ve never lived anywhere else with so many decorations for most Holidays. Even Valentine’s Day. Easter was pretty elaborate as was St. Paddy’s. We actually have a St Paddy’s parade as a fundraiser for the Fire Dept.
But I do not associate the American Flag with the Right Wing.
As noted, it can be very community based. Most of the flags in this area are strictly “virtue signaling.” 8’ flags mounted in the bed of a pickup. Flags displayed 24/7 outside without independent lighting. Tattered, torn flags waved in the faces of anybody that doesn’t hate everybody that isn’t them.
The Nazi symbol is backwards. Not that it would matter to a nice Jewish grandmother.
My neighbor sometimes flies a US flag, and he’s a normal guy, aside from that damn basket ball hoop next to my kitchen.
I love this. Practical and to the point. If you want to reclaim a symbol that is being coopted, use it with a symbol with a stronger tie to the opposite.
I honestly hadn’t considered this third option that isn’t just using it or avoiding it.