Here's what a coworker posted on Facebook about the election reaction

[jorno67]

I was very surprised!

Sarah xxxxx
Yesterday near xxxxxxxxx
So…most of you know that I don’t typically go on rants on Facebook. (only when it involves an innocent animal but I just can’t seem to keep my mouth shut on this one…
Through the duration of the “election season” I never tried to push my views on anyone, nor will I do so now. My problem here is the people that believe it is ok to post pictures in support of our American Flag at half staff or u
pside down because the candidate of their choice was not elected. I honestly don’t care if you voted for Obama, Romney, or Willie Nelson, you have NO right as an AMERICAN to be so disrespectful! Are you aware of how many men and women died so you can go on your political and religious rants?! You only have that privilege because of those individuals and just because your sorry @$$ didn’t get its’ way you feel the need to disrespect America! You don’t like it here then MOVE! We don’t have a great wall surrounding our wonderful country keeping you here! If our great nation has disappointed you so much then leave and find a greater one…I dare you!
How do you think the families of the fallen soldiers feel when they see such an unpatriotic act? Simply because you are pouting for not getting your way! What about all the people sitting at home waiting for their loved ones to return? Ask a veteran, such as my father, who still has nightmares after more than 40 years how they feel of you displaying our countries flag in such a manner! Go tell an amputee how you feel it is perfectly justified that what they fought for and gave for means nothing!
Instead of being so selfish why not focus on the situation. Do you really think doing such a thing is going to solve America’s problems? You are only dividing our great nation even more! You should be ashamed of yourselves! So please remember we are ONE NATION UNDER GOD and let’s start acting like it!!!

[Ya Basta]

1. "men and women died so you can go on your political and religious rants"

Exactly. So what's the problem with flying a flag upside down? Many people have served in the armed forces (myself included) to preserve the freedoms we have, including expressing ones' disagreement so long as they are not harming others doing it.


n/t

[jschurchin]

3. The problem sir is........

http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

Only in times of distress. I to served this great nation, but i take exception to anyone not giving that piece of cloth the respect it is due.
I, as i am sure you, would have given my life for that flag. And it should not be disrespected for political purposes.

[ffr]

5. U.S. flag is to be respected

And so are you, my fellow American. Thank you for your service.

Anyone buying an American flag will find there is a pamphlet that accompanies it, explaining the proper way to display the flag and its honored traditions. At least, that's what my Made in U.S.A. American flag had with it.

I'm the only one on my street who periodically displays old glory. None of my republican neighbors own one. They poke fun at me for how I neatly fold it up for storage and respectfully take it back out when it's time to display it. That saddens me greatly, but I still do it.

[baldguy]

8. The problem sir is........

When SuperPatriot blowhards - for exclusively political reasons - put "respect for the Flag" over respect for the country it represents, or it's people. They do more to desecrate the Flag by using it to promote policies which aim to tear down true American ideals than anyone who would aim to destroy a simple piece of cloth. I'm perfectly comfortable watching some doofus touch his Bic lighter to the Stars & Stripes, knowing that his First Amendment rights - AND MINE - are protected.

[Flatulo]

22. Hear, hear.

[procon]

2. Civics 101 = FAIL

[Liberalagogo]

4. Unfortunately

So please remember we are ONE NATION UNDER GOD

is not true.

That was an Eisenhower era add on.

Otherwise, his rant is acceptable.

[whathehell]

27. Please remember

We are all free to accept the "add on" or not.

You've not been given the authority to decide what is "true"

or "acceptable" for anyone but yourself.

Carry on.

[maxsolomon]

6. How many have died to protect the 1st amendment?

Not many in comparison to how many in the military have died for other reasons.

Even during WW2, we were never in danger of losing our sovereignity to the Axis powers.

The Civil War doesn't really fit that description, either.

The Revolutionary War & the War of 1812 are the only times when our right to hang the flag upside down at half-mast because our candidate lost was threatened. 25,000 and 20,000 dead, respectively. That's quite a few, but it was also 200 years ago.

Jingoistic cliches from a militarized nation.

[jberryhill]

30. That phrase always strikes me as odd also

I don't know why you discount the Civil War, though, but in the main we have sent our military elsewhere to fight wars which in no way threatened the sovereignty of the US.

[maxsolomon]

31. Because our "freedom" was never under threat

The UNION, sure, but it was never over protecting our "freedom". It was over secession & slavery, which the Confederacy considered their "freedom".

The narrative that our military "protects our freedom" by engaging in overseas military adventures is pure BS. Even the attempt to overthrow the Taliban, capture Al Qaeda, and stabilize Afghanistan was not in response to a serious threat to the existence of the nation. 9/11 was a horrific crime, but destroying America's "rights" or "freedom" was not the goal of Bin Laden et al.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

7. I understand where she's coming from but she's wrong

People have every right to disrespect the flag...it's that pesky First Amendment thing.

[MNBrewer]

9. Yeah, the dissonance is telling, isn't it?

"you have NO right as an AMERICAN to be so disrespectful! Are you aware of how many men and women died so you can go on your political and religious rants?! "

You have no right to engage in the political behavior that men and women died for you to have the right to engage in.

If the flag means anything, it means the freedom to us it however one wishes as part of political expression. Will it always be popular, or "nice" expression? Probably not, but where is it written that we only have the right to popular or "nice" political expressions.

[OriginalGeek]

10. I find it hard to be mad at her for calling out whiny babies stamping their feet

but yeah, they do have a right to disrespect pretty much anything they want. Now I absolutely believe it makes them despicable hypocrites but they have a right to do it.

I hope they have a loved one who did serve our country who explains to them what they are doing and I hope they feel like shit for it but I won't hold my breath.

[4bucksagallon]

11. It is a piece of cloth or synthetic made in China.

" Go tell an amputee how you feel it is perfectly justified that what they fought for and gave for means nothing!"
I don't care if you burn it, turn it upside down or use it as a doormat. I fought in Vietnam and we did NOT march into battle with the flag held high, there were no flags on our clothing, our packs, rifles, boots, all our 782 gear was olive drab. the only flags I saw were when we were fortunate enough to get back to the rear areas. Of course there were flags on the coffins sent home with fallen soldiers, but to think we fought for a piece of cloth is ridiculous. I fought to stay alive and to keep my buddies alive day to day............ This argument is right up there with my Gawd is better than your Gawd, which by the way both sides use before battle. If this is the case then you must feel that Rush Limbaugh is a hero and a true patriot, he and the right wingers wrap themselves in the flag daily. Sorry you feel that way about a piece of cloth made in China. I would just ignore it.

[Chalfont]

12. And...

How many minds were changed?

[Katashi_itto]

13. Teabaagers and Republicans are shoddy people in general...I always expect them to make shoddy,

Last edited Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:04 PM - Edit history (1)

meaningless gestures.

These are people that think wearing a flag pin on your lapel makes you patriotic.

These are people that think screaming and whining makes for a valid argument.

These are people that think putting a magnetic ribbon (made in China) on their car is "supporting the troops"

These are people to lazy to think for themselves and has Fox pre-digest and process their entire reality for them

[Curmudgeoness]

19. ^^^^This explains it all^^^^ nt

[sadbear]

14. I reserve my 1st Amendment right to burn a flag.

Why should I care if someone flew it upside down? People have 5th Amendment private property rights, too.

[blue sky at night]

15. I heartedly disagree!!!!!!!!

We (and they) have every right to fly the flag upside down if we feel the country is in Distress! Nothing any veteran did can change my right to free expression and you know what....I felt EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THEY DO RIGHT NOW BACK IN 2004, and fucking eh I flew my flag upside down for days after that mess! Get off your high horse, lighten up and enjoy their distress...I feel they are dead wrong but I would NEVER try to tell them they can't express themselves!

[southernyankeebelle]

16. My father and father-in-law both fought in WWII, Korea and one served in VN and the

other had been there before the build up and he said he was getting to old and decided to get out then. What use to get them upset would see people burning the flag but they both said it was their right to do so even though they disagree with it. Another pet peeve for them is to see every day especially republicans wear outfits made out the stars and stripes. I don't think anyone should wear flag outfits.

[LTR]

17. Neither do I

[southernyankeebelle]

25. Eeekkkkkk there should be a law against this.

[eyewall]

18. A lot of people flew the flag upside down when Bush invaded Iraq.

Even the military. In the famous sequence of pulling down the Saddam Hussein statue, a soldier puts a flag over the statue's head before it is pulled down. The soldier placed the flag upside down.

He was later asked if he was aware what he had done, he answered "Yes sir I was."
He was asked if it was his decision to place the flag upside down and he said it was the way he was told to place it by his commanding officer. This was a quiet and almost unnoticed protest against the Bush Doctrine and administration policies. It's the only one done by a military unit that I witnessed but I've heard there were many more. It was meaningful beyond a protest in that such an act is not done lightly and has a very dire message.

I personally saw lots of upside down flags during Bush's regime. People with flag decals upside down on their cars or flying an upside down flag in their front yard.

edit: I should add, I thought it was an appropriate response. I still do. It saddens me that anyone feels that way about President Obama and in this case I feel it is not appropriate. But it's still a right. I wonder what the repercussions are in the Army for showing this level of disrespect. I also wonder if it's the entire military who feels this way or if it's just the ones who hear Rush Limbaugh on AFRN.

[ReRe]

20. Jorno67...

...is the person who posted this to Facebook young? When I was young, burning of the flag
was a big issue and I thought it was disrespectful. Now that I am MUCH older, and I see a flag hanging upside down, I think "Freedom of Speech," and don't give it a second thought. I love my flag. I fly it every day it's not raining. But I will admit that when GW was president I could not fly it every day. I retired it for those years, accept for the important days...like the 4th, Veterans Day, Flag Day, Election day, 9/11 etc.

[jorno67]

21. She is in her early 30's

[A HERETIC I AM]

23. Actually... "One nation, under Canada" is more accurate...

But nice rant otherwise

[Puregonzo1188]

26. "you have NO right as an AMERICAN to be so disrespectful!" Um...yes you do...

Besides how many DUers had upside down flags as avatars during the Bush years?

Flag fetishist are wacky people...even when they seem to be on your side.

[demwing]

28. I'm sorry, I don't get flag worship

I don't think that soldiers fight for our right to display a flag properly

I don't agree with the idea that a person has "NO right as an AMERICAN to be so disrespectful!" (what does that even mean?)

and I don't believe we are "ONE NATION UNDER GOD."

If someone wants to burn a flag, fly it upside down--or at half mast--I just don't give a damn, and if they want to show displeasure with our election in a non violent manner, then good for them.

The only accomplishment they've made is in helping me make a decision about where I spend my money. I don't spend money on assholes, so I'm glad another bunch of assholes have revealed themselves.

[MindPilot]

29. Tired old rhetoric.

All you have to do is change the names, and is exactly the same stuff coming from the other side during the Bush years. It was bullshit then, and it is bullshit now.