I have my father's flag. He served over 24 years in the US Air Force. I will not display today.

[tetedur]

He was patriotic and the flag meant a lot to him after he retired from the service. He displayed it every holiday. He was proud of America.

I am not proud of my country. I am not proud of its treatment of migrants on the border. I cannot recognize Americans who would treat human beings the way that they are incarcerating and torturing people just because they entered this country.

I cannot recognize Americans who would ignore the suffering of Americans in Puerto Rico after a devastating hurricane.

I cannot recognize Americans who thought it was just fine to invade Iraq, destroy their government, allow chaos to ensue and then torture whomever they pleased.

Who are the people who chose not to spring into action and help the helpless when Katrina devastated New Orleans? They are the same ones who are in power now.

The cruelty that the Trump administration wields is being turned against the poor, the helpless, the aged, the weak in America. If we do not resist and demand that the rule of law prevail, we will be a nation of monsters.

[UniteFightBack]

1. Don't let them win....fly that flag. nt

[marybourg]

2. The only time in my life that I wes moved to display

the flag was during the eight years of the Obama administration.

[dem4decades]

3. Honor your father. Fuck Trump.

[narnian60]

8. +100

[2naSalit]

4. Well, if you change your mind, you could hang it upside down...nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. I get that.

I considered not putting mine up, or flying it upside down. But I decided to put it out there right-side up because those f&ckers don't own it and I won't give them the satisfaction, even in my own imagination, of taking it away from me.

[tetedur]

6. May be I do need to put the flag out. I need to make a sign that says, "RESIST"

and hang it underneath. I feel like making the sign and marching with it.

[Lochloosa]

7. That is an excellent idea. But fly the flag for your Father.

He earned that.

[tetedur]

9. "Our Song" by Joe Henry and a question

I saw Willie Mays
At a Scotsdale Home Depot
Looking at Garage Door Springs
At the the far end of the 14th row

His wife stood there beside him
She was quiet and they both were proud
I gave them room but was close enough
That I heard him when he said out loud

This was my country
And this was my song
Somewhere in the middle there
Though it started badly and it's ending wrong

This was my country
This frightful and this angry land
But it's my right if the worst of it might still
Somehow make me a better man

The sun is unforgiving
And there's nobody who would choose this town
But we've squandered so much of our goodwill
That there's nowhere else will have us now

We're pushing line at the picture show
For cool air and a chance to see
A vision of ourselves portrayed
As younger and braver and humble and free

This was our country
This was our song
Somewhere in the middle there
Though it started badly and it's ending wrong

This was our country
This frightful and this angry land
But it's my right if the worst of it might still
Somehow make me a better man

I've started something I can't finish
And I barely leave the house, it's true
I keep a wrap on my sores and joints
But yes, I've had my blessings too

I've got my mother's pretty feet
And the factory keeps my house in shape
My children, they've both been paroled
And we get by on the piece we've made

I feel safe, so far from heaven
From towers and their ocean views
From here I see a future coming across
What soon will be beaches too

But that was him, I'm almost sure
The greatest centerfielder of all time
Stooped by the burden of endless dreams
His and yours and mine

He hooked each spring beneath his foot
He leaned over then he stood upright
Testing each against his weight
For one that had some play and some fight

He's just like us, I wanna tell him
And our needs are small enough
Something to slow a heavy door
Something to help us raise one up

And this was my country
This was my song
Somewhere in the middle there
Though it started badly and it's ending wrong

Well, this was God's country
This frightful and this angry land
But if it's his will, the worst of it might still
Somehow make me a better man

If it's his will, the worst of it might still
Somehow make me a better man



How does the worst of it make us a better man?