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American Flag, Betsy Ross Flag, Bone Spurs, Civil War, Confederacy, Faux patriotism, Half and Half Flag, patriotism, racism, Thin Blue Line Flag
There was a time when I recited the pledge of allegiance with my hand over my heart, gazing at the American flag, admiring its simple beauty and reflecting upon the many sacrifices made in homage to that flag. The sight of the stars and stripes made my heart flutter with warmth.
I’ve recently noticed different reactions reach into the pit of my stomach upon seeing the flag. About 18 months ago, a neighbor expressed concern about a ginormous pickup that was parked around the corner from her home. It had two flags planted in the bed. One flag was a Confederate flag; the other was an American flag. My neighbor, a brown-skinned woman, felt uneasy. A few days later said pickup thundered past my house on titanic tires, flags flapping up a riot. I shared my neighbor’s uneasiness. What is this person saying? Is he/she an American or is the person a throwback to the Civil War and a supporter of the Confederacy rather than the Union? Is this person simply under-informed about who won that war and the grim role racism and slavery played in the Civil War? Or, is this person just a plain, everyday racist, newly empowered by the current political leadership of America?
A few days ago I drove a portion of the main north/south highway in Idaho, frequently diving off to explore the sideroads that connect ranching enclaves that make Idaho what it is: a mostly agrarian state with a cluster of far flung, small urban, technological hubs scattered about. I grew up in a ranching community, in the presence of ranchers whose families had worked the land since the 1860s. I respected and admired these mostly Christian, salt-of-the-earth people. They had strong opinions and beliefs, which they never wore on their sleeves or hips. They knew that not everyone was Christian nor Republican. I felt equally at home in an urban setting and in agricultural environs. I could joke good-naturedly about the bulge in a guy’s lower lip and the .06 in the rack behind his head. There was nothing more exciting and goose-pimply than participating in the elaborate grand entry presentation of the United States and the State of Wyoming flags to the sound of “Stars and Stripes Forever” to kick off the rodeos of my youth.
Funny thing is, as patriotic and God-fearing as these Wyoming ranchers were, I don’t remember seeing a lot of American flags waving around their ranches and never from their vehicles. Ranchers had enough to worry about without having to worry about keeping a light on the flag at night and bringing it in during inclement weather.
On this recent drive north from Boise, my eye spied just about every kind of American flag or composite of it that you can imagine. Many places had three or four flags flapping in the wind on this rainy day. I saw the now well-recognized thin blue line flags, Betsy Ross flags, Confederate flags, and one that almost caused me to drive off the road: a half and half flag! What I did not see were MIA/POW flags or BLM flags—not to be mistaken for BLM (as in Bureau of Land Management) signs, which I saw a lot of.
almy.com 
Rebel Nation Flag Store
Where is all this patriotism coming from? Oh yes, most of these über-flagged properties also flew large Trump signs. What in the world has Trump done to deserve the adoration of patriots? The men and women with legs and arms missing and suffering life-altering flashbacks, can’t possibly respect Trump’s bone-spurs. And why does the sight of Old Glory no longer cause my heart to flutter in pride, but instead drives it to the pit of my stomach and causes me to look away? What has happened to my flag? What has happened to my country? Will either survive?
PS: Now this! For those proud boys who love the stripes, my town will hold a Trumpavan today.
Linda, well said. Patriotism is much more than Jingoism, which I include in an unhealthy admiration for a red, white and blue cloth, versus what it stands for. Seeing Donald Trump hug the flag becomes repulsive when you know his racist words and actions are an attempt to divide Americans. As General James Mattis, Trump’s first Secretary of Defense noted, the president “does not even try to unite us.”
Just look at his focus on the BLM movement. He looks past the significant majority of civil protestors exercising their rights and focusing on the limited few who do violence, while encouraging the far right side to take up arms and “stand ready.” He passes along conspiracy BS from QAnon and other sources, while ignoring his own intelligence people. Senator John McCain wrote an op-ed after Helsinki calling Trump’s siding with Putin over his our intelligence officials as “traiterous.” Yet, he hugged the flag, so it is alright now, in the eyes of too many.
Keith
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He has lead this nation, all right, lead us right to the brink of destruction. I hope he does not succeed with his final reckless goal.
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Since Vietnam, I have had a love/hate relationship with the flag. My Order of the Arrow, Boy Scout husband still flies it on patriotic holidays. With the advent of the Abomination, I want to cry when I see the obscene way the flag is used, in conjunction with every anathema masquerading as patriotism. Usually accompanied by that nasty, Proud to be an American right wing hymn.
It feels sad to say that; May Old Glory redeem herself with the sound defeat of the (no longer) Republican Party…
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Yes. I understand your mixed feelings about Old Glory. I’ve also been back and forth. Married for a brief time to a USAF officer and living on base in the late 70s, that was a trip. And didn’t last long. But despite everything, I did always have this little pang of love for that flag. Kind of like going on a trip and being all excited about leaving home and seeing different sights/people, then returning and feeling your heart palpitate a bit at being home. But in the past, I may have felt a ping of shame at what our flag/country has done, now I’m feeling outright fear when I see that flag waving belligerently. And I don’t scare easily. Very strange times, indeed.
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Between climate crises, political extremism, cultural (social media) terrorism, the world we grew up with (which probably wasn’t as ‘real’ as we thought it was anyway) is long gone. I don’t know that any of the above will look like in ten years, but I suspect is isn’t going to be pretty.
There are those who hold true to their honour, and I hope there are enough of us to carry our species through, I hope.
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Well said. I hope so too, but I’m a bit of a pessimist, so….
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I really am distressed at how the American flag has been hijacked by the far right and racists to symbolize their skewed vision of our country and its values. I sure hope we survive this.
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Me too. I share your worry and distress. Every day.
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Oh, my dear Linda. I feel/share the angst. Somehow Republicans have taken over our flag. I do indeed display mine, for all the good, old-fashioned reasons. But, yes indeed, here too & everywhere flag/trumpet man. Subliminal messages. Frightening. Please, dear God, let justice be served. We have the antiChrist in office….make him go away!
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Agreed. I fear, though, that Pandora’s box has been pried open and all the evil spirits that were locked inside have escaped and are dancing with delight at the idea of sundering our country into full on civil war.
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Yes, I understand the feeling Linda. My flag of patriotisms has gone half mast ever since my parents decided to leave Holland and go to Australia. I became an Australian and swore my allegiance to the Queen of England, a foreign monarch.
The other choice was swearing on the bible which I could not do since that book turns guilt into an art form.
On hindsight, I have no interest in flags of any nation. I just like a good curry and nice people as neighbours.
As for Trump. How did he ever get voters to choose him?
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“that book turns guilt into an art form.” Well said, my friend. I’ve spent 4 years trying to understand how Trump swayed enough idiots and wealthy business owners hoping to mimic his slimy business deals to vote for hi. I pray enough of them have come to figure out the danger of another 4 years of idiocy in the Whitehouse.
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I know just how you feel! So disheartening and mind-boggling at the same time along with a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. Most ranchers here are Trumpers too it seems. We will take back our flag when Biden wins and America returns to the place we love.
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We moved from Chicago to Tennessee in late 2018. I knew we were moving to a historically Red state, but I never imagined the overly brazen way in which the flag would become a weapon. I have a visceral reaction to seeing a flag now, especially the Confederate variety, nearly always flying high above and among a sea of Trump signs.
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Yes. Visceral. That’s it. Unease, near panic reaches right into the pit of the gut and twists.
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Exactly!
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