Did I Accidentally Instigate Something?

[joceannora]

It wasn't me, it was Unc who found the flag and immediately put it up on the house. I don't feel like I have to advertise patriotism year-round. I'd intended to put the flag out on holidays, but here's Unc sticking it up for all to see 24/7.

The office is at the end of the house situated on the street side so while I'm sitting at my computer I can see my flag blowing in the breeze. When I sat down today I looked out and now see flags on 2 of my neighbors' houses. I thought maybe it was a holiday, but I'm only finding that it's National Tortilla Chip Day, hardly flag worthy.

Unc must have put a patriotic charge in some of my neighbors. Hope they're not disappointed when I have Sis take it down on Thursday, her day to help me. I'm not sure I can explain this adequately, but I'll try.

To me the American flag symbolizes what our founding fathers envisioned the country to be, different people working together to be fair and equitable to all. Even though it's appearance has changed over the last 200 plus years it's one very obvious sign that a person believes what it stands for.

The trouble is, I no longer feel there's any patriotism in DC, not a statesman left who cares what it stands for. DC is now a cesspool for the lower forms hungry for power and wealth. Government has broken democracy and I don't think it can be fixed. So flying a flag, to me, means I still endorse a government that no longer even looks familiar to what was intended. I can no longer fly a flag that politicians work very hard to denigrate.

In the future, closer to the revolution, the flag may be the only thing that brings people together to overthrow the corruption and evil that exists in DC. I may just have to fly it when that time comes. And it will.

Comments

[nolawitch.livejournal.com]

Look on the bright side. Now you know who the followers are.

[ms-issicran.livejournal.com]

I'm surrounded. I knew I would be when I decided to move home. I hit the county line and my IQ dropped about 10 points.

[saminz.livejournal.com]

Maybe - just maybe - you and some of your neighbours will have a good laugh some days about you putting a nationalist scare into them with that flag...;-)?

I can't fully relate to that US-flag thing, but it seems that today only hard-core republicans and the military have them out all the time.
Here, what is done is that when one moves from one canton to another, one *might* fly a cantonal flag for a while to make possible fellow "expats" aware one's here. But that is pretty much it.

Still: Wish you a very happy tortilla chip day :-D!

[ms-issicran.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does seem that only conservatives hang on to the flag as everything that's right and good in their eyes and screw everyone who believes differently. I don't want "them" to think I'm one of them when that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm prejudiced against their hate-mongering and perpetuation of divisionism among us as common people, and my bias shows every time I open my mouth. I'd rather walk anonymously among them so as not to disturb my peace.

National Tortilla Chip didn't do anything for me but make me hanker for home-made tacos. I'll have to wait for them till Sis goes grocery shopping for me this week.

[spiffikins]

Heh - maybe they figured they must have forgotten some important holiday, and now that it's up, they can't figure out what holiday it would be for, so they will just leave it up :)

President's day was recently right? maybe they figured that's what you put yours up for?

Canadians ...don't do the flag thing. I mean - we have our flag hoisted up on flagpoles in front of government buildings, schools, libraries, post offices etc. But people don't generally fly the flag on their house - even on Canada Day, really. The most we might do is wave a little paper flag if we go to a Canada Day parade and someone gives us one :)

To me the flag is something that is flown by "officials" - not something you hang on your car or in your window.

Now - I *do* actually own a Canadian flag - I bought it here in the US mostly because I was feeling like I was being subsumed by rah rah US patriotism one year - but I haven't found any appropriate thing to do with it :)

[ms-issicran.livejournal.com]

For the most part, we did the same thing. One might see a flag on a veteran's home, but no one flew a flag save for government entities and public buildings, schools, libraries, etc. Then 9/11 happened and everyone put up their flag in solidarity to show that the People would not buckle under terrorism. Since then it really is more a conservative gesture as some sort of selling point on how much more patriotic conservatives are than liberals.

I think the appropriate thing to do with it is put it away and use it on holidays. I don't feel the need to advertise I'm in the U.S., no one here is lost, we all know which country we live in. It will remain a mystery why my neighbors put theirs out after seeing mine. I'll be watching to see if they take theirs down after mine is down.