Take your Flag to Work Day
Not that I planned to participate, but a lot of conservatives are rallying around the “Take Your American Flag to Work Day“
I just happen to have two U.S. Flags at my desk, in my cubicle jungle, both of which I inherrited from former co-workers. (This one, I think I got from Stinkin Rick)
Don’t mind the Phillies hat, I don’t like em all that much. But a Philly boy has to represent! (And they are the team of 1776 (or is that the Sixers?) What is a Philly, anyway?)
Now, here is my pet peeve. This is being marketed by conservatives to promote a national unity in the United States, amid all these pro-Mexico protests in the West/Southwest.
But the trumpet is saying “Take your American Flag to Work Day”, Now, America is a set of continents, not a country.
Yes, Yes, the habit now is to call anyone from the United States “American”; probably because no one likes to use the phrase “United Statesian”. But I’m not liking this habit. Because in the truest sense of the word, Mexicans are Americans (The Mexican States of America), Canadians are Americans (Though you will rarely hear one who will admit that), Peruvians are Americans, Venezualians are Americans, Cubans are Americans.
So really, the rally is encouraging all flags from the countries that exist in the American continents.
But all semantics aside, Michelle Malkin has photos of more participants in the festivities.
What bugs me is the occasional conservative fallback to use the United-Statesian flag as their symbol and wave it at people who disagree with them. The smart ones don’t do it, just the ones that don’t have anything left in their think-bag to throw. You’ll recognize it by phrases like “America haters” being thrown around instead of actual dialog or valid points.
This “day” smacks of that frankly. I’m all for bringing your flag to work (or anywhere else), I’m all for patriotism, but this sounds more like exploitation.
Of course I’m only basing my opinion on Jeremy’s article at this point… but where else am I going to get my news? Katie Couric? [Added Link for fun - .ed]
Comment by Cisco — April 6, 2006 @ 2:14:40 PM
In Dallas there are quite a few Hispanic leaders in city and school government pleading with fellow Hispanics that when they rally to PLEASE use the ‘United States’ flag and not the ‘Mexican’ flag. They say when the Mexican flag is used it invalidates their message. I am really glad to hear them speak out about this. I agree with you too that when conservatives sometimes beat people over the head with the US flag it invalidates their message.
Comment by Beast1624 — April 6, 2006 @ 4:02:29 PM
Ran across this post via a post of his on Donklephant.
I think he makes more thoroughly makes the point I so hamfistedly tried to make above.
Comment by Cisco — April 6, 2006 @ 4:59:35 PM
This is a good discussion to contuinue. So what is a patriot, and what is unpatriotic? I think I agree with all the discussion so far. But to what point does dissent become unpatriotic, or can it?
Comment by Jeremy — April 6, 2006 @ 6:11:29 PM
Some more questions:
1) When a person says they are patriotic, what are they patriotic to; the flag, the country, the land, the government, its leaders, or all of the above?
2) If a person is patriotic to the country and flag but not its government or leaders; might they be exercising their right to over-through the government and wouldn’t that person be considered an enemy of someone that is patriotic to the government?
3) Can a person that hates republicans call themselves patriotic to only democrats in office and visa versa?
When a person claims to be patriotic, the first question that comes to my mind is “Patriotic to what�
Comment by Dad — April 6, 2006 @ 7:21:58 PM
Hmmm, the defination of patriot is:
That’s it. Its pretty vague.
Even in 1828 the definition was vague (which is odd for 1828):
And the definition of Patriotic is:
And back in 1828:
So what is the dividing line between Patriot and Jingoist (A phrase the left likes to throw around):
Comment by Jeremy — April 6, 2006 @ 7:34:21 PM
When I was inducted into the Air Force I took a vow that I still adhere to today, even though I am no longer bound by the UCMJ to do so.
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God”
Patriotism to me is the bearing of true faith and allegiance to our country, it’s laws and elected leaders. The military vow is the protection of the country against all enemies foreign and domestic and following the orders of the President and appointed Officers.
You ask when dissent becomes unpatriotic, to me it does when our troops were spit upon by Americans after they came back from a conflict (you all know which one), burning an American flag, flying an American flag upside down (when you have no clue what it really means, I do, do you?), flying a tattered or torn American flag, not flying a flag at half-staff when requested to do so by the State or Federal Gov’t, causing a civil disturbance with the intention of inciting a riot. To me all of these are acts of dissention against the country and I consider anyone who commits one of these acts a domestic enemy to the country, someone I swore to defend against.
All in all I see myself as an 1828 patriot.
Comment by Marshie — April 6, 2006 @ 9:57:57 PM
‘Dad’ brings up an excellent point. Patriotic to what? The flag is only a symbol. The government and leaders are only flawed men (as are we all). The land is only property. I hold no special allegiance to any of these.
I would like to think it doesn’t matter where I was born (though in truth that surely shapes my world outlook). My race or religion or family is mostly irrelevant to this question except that I cherish the freedom from prosecution for my affiliations.
Laws change all the time. They are not any more sacrosanct than the people who make them. But the concepts of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness… these are what I hold dear. Laws and leaders and government are all just constructs to uphold that ideal objectively (as opposed to leaving it to each person to interpret for themselves which would be chaos).
I guess it is likely then that my patriotism resides solely with the Constitution and the ideals this country represents. If the leaders are corrupt or inept, that does not affect my patriotism. As such I feel free to speak out against them, but only insomuch as to target what I see as the problem. Spitting on our troops when you disagree with the government’s choices is misplaced anger. It accomplishes nothing. But I’ve never been much for symbolic gestures of any kind (flag burning, flag waving, troop spitting, ribbon wearing, or any of the like).
My American ideal is strong enough to hold up to scrutiny. If it weren’t, it would be false. Burning a flag only vents your anger; it doesn’t make your point. And it certainly doesn’t damage my ideal.
Comment by Cisco — April 7, 2006 @ 5:00:06 PM
So, lets say that we were disgruntled with the current state of things in the United States. Which action is more “Patriotic”?
I’m not sure I know the right answer here.
Comment by Jeremy — April 12, 2006 @ 7:11:38 AM
Other than the burning the flag part (which I think is just silly) I strongly vote #1 ASSUMING you still love the nature of your country. I mean if you believe in nothing the US stands for, then it’s pretty unlikely you’ll change things around to your way of thinking. But if you agree with the basic principles of US society but are disgruntled with particular leaders or policies, then it seems obvious to me your patriotic duty is to attempt to change those things through non-violent means.
It’s like a marriage. If you are basically happy, but there are a few problems, then you stay and work it out. If you just hate each other at a base level, then by all means, break it off.
Comment by Cisco — April 12, 2006 @ 7:28:41 AM
To beat a dead horse…
Found this short post on the same site I referenced above. (reprinted below in it’s entirety)
I like it.
Comment by Cisco — April 27, 2006 @ 2:57:56 PM
[...] Take your Flag (Or Phillies Cap) to Work Day [...]
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