The American Flag: Your Thoughts

Just a kind of weird question:

What do you think when you see a car or truck diring down the road with a large american flag/numerous flag stickers/etc? Or see a house littered with flags lining the sidewalk? Or any abundant use of "Ol' Glory", outside of government buildings and such?

I realized that every time I see one these days, I get disgusted. I think of extreme right-wingers, Christian harpies, and ignorant war-supporters (ignorant in that they don't accept any criticisms of what is going on in Irag). I think, "stupid, white-trash assholes..." , just because they happen to let their "Patriotic-freak-flag" fly.

And then i feel weird. I used to see the flag, and think "Hey. Look. The flag." Now, I'm enraged at the mere sight of it. I am not anti-American. Well - at least, I have faith in our potential. But do I think the flag is used as the symbol of everything I hate about the direction of country is seemingly headed.

Now , is this fair of me? No. Ceratinly not. But - am I right in assuming that the person doing the brandishing is most likely a conservative, at least? Yes, I am.

So - does anyone have any idea of what I'm talking about? Does anyone else have this knee-jerk reaction to an inanimate object? Have the Neo-cons stolen our flag? Help me out, here!


(Edited for clarity)

[Edited on Jul 07, 2005 by plasticfangs]

I pretty much feel the same way, I'm much more partial to this flag

[Edited on Jul 07, 2005 by Pie]

When I see the American flag I usually think "Huh... what's that doing here?"

I can see your point though. Symbols of America tend to bring up a lot of very strong feelings in people. Not always good ones either. I usually get a bit irked by it because, as a foreigner, I see more of the damage that the US causes as opposed to the good that I'd probably be afforded if I lived there.

If you want to see some people's VERY strong opinions, go find a flag burning thread in CE. They're pretty good indications of what the flag means to people.

Well, over the past six years or so, I've noticed I view the American flag with the same mix of social wariness and minor disgust as I do prominently displayed crosses or jesus fish.

I totally agree about the flag.

I used to get angry whenever I saw the flag flying in the rain, or the old, faded, worn flags that had obviously been left up for years without any care.

Now I just don't care about it. It's a quaint symbol of a dying ideology.

and I am guessing because you disagree with their views and don't respect their opinions this makes them ignorant?!?!? ya might want to step back and take a look at what you just wrote...one might say it's ignorant.



BTW. I happen to fly a flag in front of my house and i have red white and blue stars tattooed on my arms. You can go ahead ASSUME whatever the fuck you want.But as far as i am concerned and the way this post came out you are right up there with them, buddy.

[Edited on Jul 07, 2005 by _Wahine_]

Way to hate freedom, buddy.

You should see my neighborhood. The amount of houses with HUGE flags hanging outside, as well as stickers in their windows and cars is pretty amazing. But I've grown to just ignore/not see them.

When I see the flag I think, well it's nice to know someone still likes the country they live in, because those bastards on SG sure don't. And then I laugh and laugh.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I definitely do not consider myself conservative by any measure of the word, and I fly my American flag outside my house every day. I also have one displayed in my room. That particular flag means a lot to me because I brought it home with me after finishing my combat tour in Afghanistan. I'm a 23 year old combat veteran, and I'm proud of my flag and what it means to me. Flying it outside my house is my way of supporting the soldiers who are still stuck in that quagmire overseas, and my way of remembering the 2 friends that did not make it home with me. Shame on you for thinking that anyone who flies a flag does so only because they are right-wing, etc. I can't stand this administration, but I still love my county. Now what's wrong with that??

The only question that comes to my mind when I see a flag is, "was that up before or after 9/11?"

I don't think it's wrong to show support for your country, though. But I can understand the disgust.

I don't mind the flag itself. It just depends on the company it's keeping. If, for example, it is surrounded by W's, Jesus Fish, yellow ribbons, Marriage=Man+Woman, Calvins, and confederate flags, I tend to hate the person driving. Just being honest.

i feel glad that someone is willing to express a possitive attitude about the country they voluntarily live in, even thought they'll have to deal with the liberal knee jerk type people

[Edited on Jul 07, 2005 by DrStinkypants]

Hahaha - I tired to make my point as clear as possible. But apparently I still failed somehow. Oh well - let me clarify.

-I already specified what I meant by "ignorant". I was attempting to use it to desribe people who won't except anything but exmpty sloganeering regarding the war. People who don't want to hear any level of protest, because they believe it is "unamerican" to voice an opposing opinion. People who don't want to believe that there were no WMDs, or any of the most basic facts regarding our current situation.

I did not call (or did not mean tocall) every person who is in support of the war as ignorant. Simply the people who gain their opinion only from Fox news, and the like. People are are actually ignorant of the facts. Sorry if that was not clear.

-Secondly - I understand that my own reactions are knee-jerk, and perhaps unfair. I was not glorifying my opinion. I was just being honest, and pointing out how extreme the shcism has grown, that any one person (using myself as the example) can get so heated simply by seeing a piece of colored cloth. I REALIZE THIS IS A LITTLE NUTS. I brought it up for the very reason to see if anyone could relate to this sort of irrational mindset.

-Thirdly - I will assume whatever I want about anyone else. Not because I choose to. But because it's an unforunate aspect of being a human being. Buying into predjuices and stereotypes, of any type, are nothing to be proud of. But I admit that I have them, as does everyone else. DO you not ever judge someone based on first impressions, they way they look, the way they adorn themselves? Honestly.

My point was not that everyone that owns the flag is an asshole. Not at all. I was trying to infer that trend overzealousness, where people put flags on EVERYTHING. The people that use the flag as a fashion choice, more than as symbol of personal belief. I suppose I should have stated that more clearly from the beginning.

But more to the point - YES, the very sight of the Stars n' Stripes irritates me. Because I feel that it has been stolen from me. Stolen by a segment of society that I am in strict opposition with. Stolen through claims of patriorism, by people who don't truly understand the meaning of the word. And it is unfortunate that Ifeel that I have to make that distinction. But that is how I feel. It is flawed thinking, on my part, perhaps. But I can't remove myself from feeling that way.

Anyways - there you go. And sure - think any way you want about me. I'm neither surprised nor offended. But if you'd actually like to have a discussion about it, I'm okay with that, as well.

.

but... but... my bandana was cool.

The American Flag has nice artistic and visual uses that just can't be ignored.

Hail to the chief. And you sir, are the chief, so hail to you.

I think about this alot, actually. I have a friend who is severely against the Administration, dislike the war, but stills a flag on their porch, because they still love our country, hate terrorists, and support out troops in staying alive and helping people. And I think about that segment of society that falls between the battlelines in the war of Us vs Them. And I envy these people...I wish I could be so positive, and optimisitic. But I just find myself getting more frustrated, more bitter, and more and more in definance of what the flag represents, these days.

Yes, it upsets me to see the flag flown by those I have come to call "pseudo-patriots." Unfortunately, it's difficult to determine from a flag the reasons for which a person is displaying it.

i agree 100% with _wahine_, im not conservative in any way, im also aetheist (not your christian right winger), but i love my country and i have a flag flying on my house

This is exactly how I feel. I live in the deep south, but even here there were not nearly as many flags flying as there are now (and they certainly weren't on people's cars). before 9/11/01. That irks me. It seems disingenuous. I recoil even though I know it's wrong because I don't actually know why they have them up. I love the idea of the US, and I can't fault "America" for how it has been steered in the past 5 years. So if the flag is supposedly indicative of the true American ideals, then I support that. That being said, I've always found it to be tacky and ugly. Seriously, that's the best they could do? I know that's petty and superficial, but if it's going to be so ubiquitous, it should at least be aesthetically pleasing.

The American flag is a symbol of our freedom, and the opportunities and lifestye it affords us. Accordingly, it deserves our respect. Are there people who go overboard displaying symbols? Sure . . . but "under the flag" of the United States . . . it's their inalienable right to do so. Thank God we have those rights! Some people are afraid just now, of the things taking place in the world around us. If displaying a flag gives them comfort in some way, where's the problem? And the older generations take great pride in the roles they played during wartime, defending our freedoms and rights. They can and should be proud of their history and accomplishments.
Flag waiving ain't all bad! Would you rather be looking at swastikas or hammers and sickles?

[Edited on Jul 07, 2005 by Corsair]

Design-wise: I don't like the flag, in fact it sucks.

Icon-wise: I don't like the flag, as it stands for America, and I don't think any other countries should be following what we're doing right now.

Personal meaning? Please, something so generic could never hold a personal meaning to me.



I don't care one iota if someone burns the flag, its just a fucking piece of cloth or plastic.

I care about what matters, why its being done.

If I see it on a car, I usually think less of the person. For the disingenuous reason already stated by many people, esp. re: 9.11.01. Also cause it means they're probably a closed minded, party line voting, conservative; and/or they don't think for themselves.

I don't mind the design of the flag...certainly it's not as boring as France's/ireland's/Italy's/etc. But it's no Union Jack...

But I think you hit the nail on the head far better than I did.

It's not that I hate my country. I spend alot of my days argueing that thought with the more vehement segment of disenfranchised friends I have.

I believe in America...that is to say, I believe in it's capacity for greatness, and in the things it has accomplished in the past. It's the only home I have ever had, and it's full of people I love, and home of things that are really important to me (so muxh art, important thinkers, scientific advances, etc). Ido consider myself a patriot, because I want America to be the best place it can, I believe it can be that place, and I try to fight in the ways that I can, to see that the values I believe in, the values that the country is founded on, are upheld. I won't accept anything less from my country, or the people that have been given the power to lead it.

I hate how so many people buy into the notion of "with us or against us". This is against the very foundation that our country was built on. We left tyranny behind! But perhaps this concept is beyond some people...

I wish I could take the flag back. That I could use it as a symbol of pride. And that I could do so without care of how it is perceived by the rest of the world. But I don't think that is possible, right now. It really has become the banner of the Right. And I never want to allign myself with that club.

[Edited on Jul 07, 2005 by plasticfangs]