Thank you Mr. Hare for this article in which, among other things, you give clear examples of how the Extreme Patriots have appropriated the American Flag as their means of self-identification within popular culture. I have also noticed this and have given it much thought.
To be honest, I am less interested in how or why the right and far right have made the American flag their exclusive icon. What I am more interested in is why did everyone else allow it to happen? In my circle of liberal (sometimes very liberal) group, I have seen a departure from any display of personal patriotism for fear of being confused for an extreme patriot. God forbid we send the wrong message, right? So, we don't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in public spaces, we don't hang our flag on Independance Day or any other day, we don't cry a little when the national anthem is sung. In some respects, we have stepped into the shadows for fear of being labeled as jingoists. And, the result of this fear, those we stand against use this as proof that we are not patriots at all; we don't love our country; we are exactly what they claim we are. What a shame.
So, what are we to do? Let's look at what some fearless people have done. For example, I can't help but applaud the Metropolitan African Episcopal Methodist Church in Washington DC who were awarded the trademark for the "Proud Boys" thus disallowing it's use for racist, ignorant, purposes. Well played. Wouldn't it be better to take a cue from them and take the flag back? Wouldn't it be great if everyone flew one in their yard or office? Then, how could you tell who is who? And, maybe it wouldn't matter so much to the current group of flag bullies when everyone was participating. Maybe it would, in fact, matter more. It's worth contemplating.
I can't help but reflect on MLK Jr.'s words that he scribbled on the edges of a newspaper while serving time in the Birmingham Jail. He speaks directly to the people who choose to stand with the cause but do nothing to promote the cause. He says, " Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection." If you haven't his letter recently, I would encourage you to do so because it remains relevant. Just allowing these small steps to happen without standing up and saying something or doing something further bolsters this group's sense of entitlement to the one thing that should bring us together. MLK spoke to this too, "Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds." I, for one, am tired of feeling like an outsider in my own country. If I show patriotism, I am shunned by people with whom I share ideals. What a mess.
All Americans should wave their flag freely and with pride. I do believe it stands for freedom and equality and all the other stuff the Constitution illustrates. It cannot be appropriated by one group who choose to rewrite its narrative. Take it back. Rejoin the narrative.
Hey, thanks so much for your commentary. And you're right about the flag. If non-MAGA folks fly it, people indeed think, "There's a house where some far rightie lives." But so what what people think? We need to start somewhere, right? It might as well start with you. Bigoted liberals who judge a book even before they see the cover are no better at all than the MAGA breed of folks. Would you be losing much if they ghosted you? I wrote about flying the flag in my post about the No Kings Day protest. "Fly the damned flag. It's our flag too!"
I'm on a fire in the Kobuk River Valley north of the Arctic Circle. When I get home I'm going to start flying an American flag and a Black Lives Matter flag from my porch. I don't want to be that guy with a big hat and no cows just talking and talking. If I had the room I would fly an American flag, a Black Lives Matter flag, and a Blue Lives Matter flag just to show that it's possible, and actually even preferable to respect and support all of those entities...to love America AND the Americans who live here.
When I was a kid America was engaged in a war in Vietnam. It was my country so without much thought I enlisted in the Marine Corps and went to Vietnam to save us from Communism. and the dreaded 'Domino Theory'!..somehow and for some reason. Later, I had a career in the National Park Service protecting beautiful and restorative landscapes that are owned equally by all Americans.
And then with the election of a racist into the Oval Office in 2016 I started trying to help Americans understand race in America and how it had long been used as a cudgel to tear us pit us against each other. So far, it's worked well.
But It was not until I began writing about the existential threat to American democracy that I realized I do actually care for America. It's more than just a kinda cool, fun place to live. If we could become the place that our forefathers envisioned, we'd actually BE special, not just bragging about a place that doesn't yet exist. Not just a bunch a people with big hats and no cows!
Thanks for your thoughtful and anguished comments.
Thank you Mr. Hare for this article in which, among other things, you give clear examples of how the Extreme Patriots have appropriated the American Flag as their means of self-identification within popular culture. I have also noticed this and have given it much thought.
To be honest, I am less interested in how or why the right and far right have made the American flag their exclusive icon. What I am more interested in is why did everyone else allow it to happen? In my circle of liberal (sometimes very liberal) group, I have seen a departure from any display of personal patriotism for fear of being confused for an extreme patriot. God forbid we send the wrong message, right? So, we don't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in public spaces, we don't hang our flag on Independance Day or any other day, we don't cry a little when the national anthem is sung. In some respects, we have stepped into the shadows for fear of being labeled as jingoists. And, the result of this fear, those we stand against use this as proof that we are not patriots at all; we don't love our country; we are exactly what they claim we are. What a shame.
So, what are we to do? Let's look at what some fearless people have done. For example, I can't help but applaud the Metropolitan African Episcopal Methodist Church in Washington DC who were awarded the trademark for the "Proud Boys" thus disallowing it's use for racist, ignorant, purposes. Well played. Wouldn't it be better to take a cue from them and take the flag back? Wouldn't it be great if everyone flew one in their yard or office? Then, how could you tell who is who? And, maybe it wouldn't matter so much to the current group of flag bullies when everyone was participating. Maybe it would, in fact, matter more. It's worth contemplating.
I can't help but reflect on MLK Jr.'s words that he scribbled on the edges of a newspaper while serving time in the Birmingham Jail. He speaks directly to the people who choose to stand with the cause but do nothing to promote the cause. He says, " Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection." If you haven't his letter recently, I would encourage you to do so because it remains relevant. Just allowing these small steps to happen without standing up and saying something or doing something further bolsters this group's sense of entitlement to the one thing that should bring us together. MLK spoke to this too, "Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds." I, for one, am tired of feeling like an outsider in my own country. If I show patriotism, I am shunned by people with whom I share ideals. What a mess.
All Americans should wave their flag freely and with pride. I do believe it stands for freedom and equality and all the other stuff the Constitution illustrates. It cannot be appropriated by one group who choose to rewrite its narrative. Take it back. Rejoin the narrative.
With regard for the work you do,
Leah G.
Hi Leah. And...most folks know me by Wayne.
Hey, thanks so much for your commentary. And you're right about the flag. If non-MAGA folks fly it, people indeed think, "There's a house where some far rightie lives." But so what what people think? We need to start somewhere, right? It might as well start with you. Bigoted liberals who judge a book even before they see the cover are no better at all than the MAGA breed of folks. Would you be losing much if they ghosted you? I wrote about flying the flag in my post about the No Kings Day protest. "Fly the damned flag. It's our flag too!"
I'm on a fire in the Kobuk River Valley north of the Arctic Circle. When I get home I'm going to start flying an American flag and a Black Lives Matter flag from my porch. I don't want to be that guy with a big hat and no cows just talking and talking. If I had the room I would fly an American flag, a Black Lives Matter flag, and a Blue Lives Matter flag just to show that it's possible, and actually even preferable to respect and support all of those entities...to love America AND the Americans who live here.
When I was a kid America was engaged in a war in Vietnam. It was my country so without much thought I enlisted in the Marine Corps and went to Vietnam to save us from Communism. and the dreaded 'Domino Theory'!..somehow and for some reason. Later, I had a career in the National Park Service protecting beautiful and restorative landscapes that are owned equally by all Americans.
And then with the election of a racist into the Oval Office in 2016 I started trying to help Americans understand race in America and how it had long been used as a cudgel to tear us pit us against each other. So far, it's worked well.
But It was not until I began writing about the existential threat to American democracy that I realized I do actually care for America. It's more than just a kinda cool, fun place to live. If we could become the place that our forefathers envisioned, we'd actually BE special, not just bragging about a place that doesn't yet exist. Not just a bunch a people with big hats and no cows!
Thanks for your thoughtful and anguished comments.