Flag is Divisive in post 9/11 World

-- ^ | 11-9-03 | Moody Skeptic

[moodyskeptic]

Flag is Divisive in post 9/11 World.

It's no great skill, but I work hard at listening to ranting liberals without interrupting. I suppress my urge to correct them. I clench my teeth and shut up. And it's harder than you might imagine. These people are my friends and sometimes my family, nice folks from whom I do not want to become estranged. But the stuff I hear shocks me.

One pal confides that he has evolved a hatred of the American flag, since 9/11. At first, he says, the overt flag waiving that popped up after the terrorist attack was merely annoying. It made him uncomfortable. So far so good.

When the initial burst of patriotism cooled down, after about six months, the "national zeitgeist" (his term) changed. The remaining flag waivers became obnoxious warmongers in his eyes. He speaks for many liberals. This I know.

Today, overt displays of flags on vehicles, on houses, flag pins, car decals; even patriotic messages on commercial vehicles enrage the Left. Truly. They see this new flag waiving as in-your-face mindless cheerleading for the Bush administration. You see, the flag has become a divisive symbol. A polarizing influence.

Dividing the Bush lovers from the Bush haters. Dividing the blame-America-first nation from the Support Iraqi War nation. Bush as Savior vs. Bush as Hitler. Left vs. Right. Believe it or not, many Americans actually seethe in simmering rage at the sight of overt flag displays. It offends their personal politics, as if it were a direct insult.

And don't you DARE call these flag haters unpatriotic! They see themselves as merely exercising their constitutional right to criticize the White House. They are progressive. To them, blind patriotism is worse than socialism. Truth is, the two sides of this cultural struggle are heading in opposite directions.

The mushy gray middle is disappearing, and liberal moderates and conservative moderates are polarizing into Left and Right. The Right pushes the flag into the face of the Left and dares the Left to complain. But the Left will complain only in whispers, or to someone who will listen without interrupting or correcting.

The things I hear.

[moodyskeptic]

Just an observation. I hear plenty, being a musician/artist/marketer with big ears.

[JoJo Gunn]

After the attacks, why should we suppress anything against the America haters and Collaborators?

We do just fine digging our own graves....

[BulletBobCo]

[cmsgop]

I have seen it too. Last 9-11 I overheard this hippie type say I sick of all these Flag Waiving A$$holes,..The President Lied!

I wanted to kill him.

It's sad but when I see a "America United" bumper sticker I think "America Divided" insted.

[ChadGore]

If they are angered by the flag after 9/11, they didn't have any patriotism on 9/10.

[Mr. Mojo]

One pal confides that he has evolved a hatred of the American flag, since 9/11.

Ask you pal what his reaction to Americans flying blue UN flags would be.

[moodyskeptic]

Agreed. Patriotism was always considered naive by the Left. As a teeneger, I had friends come over to my house for parties. My dad, a vet, displayed the flag proudly on a big flagpole out front. At sunset, we'd all gather at the flagpole to bring in colors. My buddies thought it was some sort of post-modernist tongue in cheek joke.

The look on our faces said otherwise. The look in dad's eyes and the reverence for Old Glory was powerful. and it rubbed off even on us spoiled suburban hippie wanabees.

[BulletBobCo]

[SandRat]

One pal confides that he has evolved a hatred of the American flag, since 9/11.

Ask this left-over from the '60s how he feels about all the flalgs flying over the graves at Arlington, and the flags he'll see on Tuesday beign carried by currrent and past veteran's. If you really want to give him/her/it a coronary, ask how they feel about the flag being carried by the Boy Scouts. That one question should raise your blood pressure by about thirty points at hearing his response.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Post it again...and again...and again!!!!!

[moodyskeptic]

I must admit that it is bad for my blood pressure, but hearing out the libs is quite revealing. I don't advise it for the short-of-temper. Sometimes my head wants to explode.

Tell you what, save your temper and keep your friends, I'll do the spying for us Freepers and report periodically!

[Mr. Mojo]

Last 9-11 I overheard this hippie type say I sick of all these Flag Waiving A$$holes,..The President Lied!

Off the subject a little, the other night I went to see a blues concert ....but unfortunately the opening act was some talentless hippie-dippy band. Took place in a relatively small auditorium here in town. A sandal-wearing guy - it was 20 degrees outside - introduced the band by saying "thank you all for coming, especially considering how messed up our country is these days .....and Allah be praised."

Thing is, no way was this guy a Muslim. He was just some typical knee-jerk anti-American hippie who has made the enemy of America (and western civilization) his temporary friend. ....until a Democrat disgraces the WH again, no doubt.

[KC_Conspirator]

Well, you have just described why the ideas of liberals are not very popular and it is reflected at the ballot box, as they have lost big for 2 straight years. These type of people believe that freedom is cheap and they hate-America. That is not hyperbole. Its their type of thinking and policies that led to 911 in the first place.

[BulletBobCo]

"Flags-In" at Arlington National Cemetery

For more than half a century, the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) has honored America's fallen heroes by placing American flags before the gravestones and niches of service members buried at both Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldier's and Airmen's Home National Cemetery just prior to Memorial Day weekend.

This tradition, known as "flags in," has been conducted annually since The Old Guard was designated as the Army's official ceremonial unit in 1948.

Every available soldier in the 3rd U.S. Infantry participates, placing small American flags one foot in front and centered before each grave marker.

During an approximately three-hour period, the soldiers place flags in front of more than 260,000 gravestones and about 7,300 niches at the cemetery's columbarium.

Another 13,500 flags are placed at the Soldier's and Airmen's Cemetery. As part of this yearly memorial activity, Old Guard soldiers remain in the cemetery throughout the weekend, ensuring that a flag remains at each gravestone.

American flags are also placed at the graves of each of the four unknown service men interred at the Tomb of the Unknowns, by the Tomb Sentinels.

All flags are removed after Memorial Day before each cemetery is opened to the public.

[moodyskeptic]

You're right! He is a leftover from the sixties, long hair and all. But many of these guys have actual white collar jobs and drive normal cars while harboring their simmering ant-American college-learned socialism.

I know exactly the response to the Boy Scout question: Baby Boomers have rendered the Boy Scouts passe.

No kidding. I tell ya, cultural warrior battles are hard on the heart.

[sanjacjake]

You got that right..our Flag was flying on 11/10 and some
36 years(dailY) previous in our home here in San Diego...I am
looking out the window now and the breeze has it flapping in the wind..proud of that baby and anyone who isn;t can get
their sweet..a$$ out of my sight..pronto. Am tired of this
crap going around...mad as hell, in fact.,...Jake

[kcar]

When did being divisive become an enumerated crime?

[moodyskeptic]

No, this is exactly on subject. You're right about musicians siding with our enemies for shock value. I see young bands alot, and virtually ALL of them ridicule the war effort and Bush. The only genre that accepts patriotism is country music, the rest are spoiled angry liberals.

For instance, Paul McCartney and Neil Young "dared" to release songs supporting the war on terror, and rock radio blasted them for it. My lefty buddies have sworn off their music forever , as punishment for stepping outside of the mainstream anti-GOP sentiment.

It appears that 9/11 is a taboo subject for all the Arts except country music.