Running One Up the Flagpole October 24
Each election season, flag burning crops up like an unusually persistent weed. It’s a favorite dodge to distract voters or pander to some hairy-edge group within a party. But this season, we have a twist on the old story. In between “mistaking” Obama for Osama and bitching about him being sworn in on a Koran, the flag lobby has complained loudly and disingenuously that Obama doesn’t wear a flag lapel pin or hold his hand over his heart when the national anthem plays.
Horrors! Where is the country going and why is it in this hand basket?
I love the flag as much or more as the next guy. I follow the old school ways, putting my hand over my heart for the national anthem. I fondly remember how the military stops traffic and gets you out of your car for taps. I fly the flag every day - not just on holidays to add a little color to the family cookout as many of the complainers do. Heck, I’m even an amateur vexilologist.
Having the flag as part of my daily life, I fail to see how the sartorial use of the flag makes much difference one way or another when it comes to legislating. Ditto for the hand-over-heart salute. These days, putting your hand over your heart has become as antiquated as fedoras for office wear. That’s not an excuse, but a simple fact.
I love the flag of my country. I see its beauty and strength and believe that part of what makes it beautiful is as a symbol of citizens’ right to wear, or not wear, lapel pins of their choice. Clergymen and church-goers often wear crosses at the expense of flag pins. Many of the supposedly aggrieved don’t wear lapel pins or cross their hearts at all. Yet, they would rather call others’ patriotism into question for the omission. We still live - at least for now - in a country that allows such things.
The disrespect the flag lobby shows is exactly what they often accuse their fellow citizens of doing - exercising naked political correctness. By calling Obama’s patriotism into question, they sound as loopy as those who insist that God is always a her or that every high school mascot is offensive to the point of tears. Political correctness of these kinds doesn’t engender anyone to their causes, it simply makes people roll their eyes and consider them tin-foil hatted gophers.
Sure, I’d prefer Obama wore a lapel pin and put his hand over his heart. I’d prefer that people not burn the flag or desecrate it. But what I’d really prefer is for sanctimonious vexiloboobs to drop the phony crap and stop desecrating the flag by wrapping themselves in it. I’d prefer an intelligent electorate that gives the flag the respect it deserves by not falling for these faux crusades. I’d much prefer an electorate that worried about real problems than phony, flag-draped symbolism.
Let’s run that one up the flagpole and see who salutes it.
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Blu Man Chu Oct 24
i am just trying to figure out how to horn in on the action. do i sell flags, or do i write totally pandering posts? what a dilemma.
Kelly the dog Oct 25
It seems that folks have forgotten that the flag is a symbol of what the country represents and not a religious artifact to be revered.
daveawayfromhome Oct 25
I’m personally getting tired of having right (and, let’s be honest, left) -wing idiots getting bent out of shape because someone doesnt perform an easily counterfeited action. It just further distracts us from the notion that it is the legislative voting of our Representitives that matters, not their appearance. But then, I suppose that’s the idea, isnt it?
fairlane Oct 27
I must admit, whenever I see the flag it makes me think of pickup trucks, NASCAR and mullets.