# Is the American Flag an 'Offensive' Symbol (in the USA)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169 "2014-12-02T22:14:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/61 "2014-12-04T21:31:03Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > … Also, and this is a hijack, most (straight) men would be surprised to know how most women view the way they dress and behave, as opposed to the way men believe women do. It is a great divide of mutual misapprehensions, based on the different ways men and women are visually and sexually wired. This is definitely a different thread topic though. Care to launch that thread? We might all enjoy learning something. Seriously, not snarkily. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/62 "2014-12-04T21:47:41Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > I think maybe one of his knucklehead patients made an ill-conceived comment about the flag, and the physician, being of a certain political bent, became internally outraged about his patriotism being under attack (they are out to destroy America!!!), and overreacted by removing it. It gives him comfort in acting on his confirmation bias. People are poo-pooing this, but I think this is likely largely right. Some person or people said something about it, probably just saying it was tacky looking or that it “might offend others.” To resolve the issue, he took it down, but he’s a bit resentful about it. And so he shares the story in a way that makes the other people sound ridiculous. It’s the phrasing about it being “an offensive symbol,” something patently ridiculous, rather than “some people got offended by it” that makes this more likely. Very, very few Americans would think the flag is itself offensive. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/63 "2014-12-04T22:08:12Z")
> [@DrumBum](#): > > I would however, probably not wear my Che Guevara t-shirt to my appointment.🙂 Che Guevara symbology is more ironic than anything. The commercialization of his image has become absurd. Anyone wearing such a t-shirt, or drinking from a mug with his image on it, or whatever, is just displaying how inanely shallow they are. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/64 "2014-12-04T22:35:57Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sounds like conformity. Conformity is forcing people through social pressure to dress, act, speak a certain way. I’m just talking about reality – yes, people gain information on what you are like, based on what they see and hear you do. Surprise! If you go into a supermarket wearing a black skin tight unitard and a yellow deely-bobber headband, people will think differently about you than if you wore a housedress and curlers. Deal with it, is all I am saying. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/65 "2014-12-04T22:48:51Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > “I’m offended that you’re offended” would be an appropriate response. I’m with you. Now, little flag lapel pins to dick-wave how patriotic you are…not a fan of those. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/66 "2014-12-04T23:33:25Z")
I’m not necessarily offended by the stars and stripes, but overly-aggressive, “In your FACE!” displays of patriotism, which sometimes involves the excessive use of flags, does. There’s the flag itself and then there’s what it symbolizes. As a flag goes, I think it’s just a gaudy piece of cloth. And as for much of the ceremony and liturgy about the handling and treatment of the stars and stripes, I think it crosses the line into worshiping a graven image. _You shall have no other gods beside Me. You shall not make for yourself any graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them, for I, the Lord Your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation._ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2014, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/67 "2014-12-05T07:30:22Z")
Miniature American flags for some, abortions for others. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/68 "2014-12-06T23:54:05Z")
If I had a flag up and someone complained and called it offensive, I’d put up a second flag. America. Fuck yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/69 "2014-12-07T02:50:37Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > If I had a flag up and someone complained and called it offensive, I’d put up a second flag. America. Fuck yeah. Because as a doctor, you would only want to treat patients who share your jingoism? And you know that the other health care providers in your clinic either share your preference or should goddamn well go back to their own countries (isn’t Massachusetts a country?). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/70 "2014-12-07T03:01:04Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I’m not necessarily offended by the stars and stripes, but overly-aggressive, “In your FACE!” displays of patriotism, which sometimes involves the excessive use of flags, does. > > There’s the flag itself and then there’s what it symbolizes. As a flag goes, I think it’s just a gaudy piece of cloth. And as for much of the ceremony and liturgy about the handling and treatment of the stars and stripes, I think it crosses the line into worshiping a graven image. > > _You shall have no other gods beside Me. You shall not make for yourself any graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them, for I, the Lord Your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation._ Interesting… I feel the same way about the American flag. Everything you said including the Biblical part. And while I am Christian I am very lax about it. I am very Liberal. But flag and country worship feels very “off” to me, as a Christian. I don’t usually run in to this viewpoint very often. Good to know I’m not alone. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/71 "2014-12-07T03:54:45Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Interesting… I feel the same way about the American flag. Everything you said including the Biblical part. And while I am Christian I am very lax about it. I am very Liberal. But flag and country worship feels very “off” to me, as a Christian. > > I don’t usually run in to this viewpoint very often. Good to know I’m not alone. I agree, including the Biblical part. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/72 "2014-12-07T13:16:46Z")
It’s not offensive but personally I feel the same way about people who overtly display the American flag as I do about people who overtly flaunt their religion. Namely, that they are doing it because they think it makes them superior to those who don’t. Like it’s a contest of some kind. In that context, a business owner would be right to think twice before displaying something that might make their customers slightly uncomfy. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/73 "2014-12-07T13:27:49Z")
In the bible belt community I live in, it’s considered offensive _to complain about the flag being offensive._ Around here, almost every government meeting at any level begins with everyone standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and on certain holidays (4th of July, Veterans Day), you have to negotiate a forest of flags whether walking or driving. Personally, I think such super-patriotism is annoying and unnecessary, but well within free speech rights. If you want to wear the flag on your sleeve, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/74 "2014-12-07T13:53:54Z")
> [@DataX](#): > > “We get lots of people from other Countries and wanted them to feel welcome too.” This is one of these things where I seriously doubt people from other countries complained, found it offensive or even really took much notice of it but people worry unneccessarily that they will be offended without asking the foreigners themselves. And frankly if someone from another country is offended by the American flag in the _United States of America_ then they’re just a member of the offenderati and I’m not sure why you would take their opinion to heart. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/75 "2014-12-07T16:52:27Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Che Guevara symbology is more ironic than anything. The commercialization of his image has become absurd. Anyone wearing such a t-shirt, or drinking from a mug with his image on it, or whatever, is just displaying how inanely shallow they are. They are not shallow. They idolize a murderer. Shallow is not the right word. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/76 "2014-12-09T15:20:15Z")
For what it’s worth, do not have a Che Guevara shirt and would not wear one if I did. I was being flippant and evidently touched a nerve, so I offer my sincere apologies for the comment. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/77 "2014-12-09T18:32:31Z")
That doctor must be exaggerating or misunderstood or something. Probably someone just said it was tacky or didn’t go with the decor or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/78 "2014-12-09T18:49:45Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > They are not shallow. They idolize a murderer. Shallow is not the right word. Reagan was a murderer as well. I deeply resent the way he pointlessly murdered a good friend of mine. And yet, you regard him as a hero. Morally, he was no better than Guevara, worse in some ways. At least Guevara genuinely cared about people, Reagan was just a vapid elitist. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/79 "2014-12-09T18:59:06Z")
I find near-mandatory group obeisance to patriotism at sporting events to be offensive. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169/80 "2014-12-09T19:29:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You’re right. Women especially should do this - take responsibility for the social cues they are giving to men. > > Regards, > Shodan I like **Shodan’s** “take back the flag” mentality, and his resistance to caving into perceived negative social cues that others have invented. It is unsettling to me that the far-right in particular, and political parties in general, have managed to appropriate usage of the flag under the guise of patriotism and turn it into a symbol of aggression and disenfranchisement. I dislike that my first thought at seeing a flag in a private-residence context has been conditioned into “jingoistic tea-bag nationalist”. The greatest use of the flag, IMO, has historically been when used as a symbol of freedom and empowerment. Celebrating the Constitution instead of Jebus n’ Bombs – On the helmet of a biker, on the bikini-top of a beachgoer, as a backdrop on a Bruce album, on the shield of a kid’s superhero. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-american-flag-an-offensive-symbol-in-the-usa/706169.md?page=3)