Why do you think our flag is so great?

[qazplm]

4. flags represent ideals

that we've fallen short of them does not make the ideals any less, well ideal, nor does it make the symbol of those ideals any less worthy of awe.

This isn't simply about patriotism, but the fact of the matter is, we are Americans, thus we are part of a group. We can bemoan the actions of the group all we want but we are still part of Team USA, so simply saying, boy do we suck really bad is fairly meaningless.

There are other folks who see our flag, and remember the Marshall Plan, or the liberation of Paris, or see it on food aid, or disaster aid, or see it as a new opportunity to improve their station.

So, like everything in life, like every group of people in life, some folks see the good side, and some folks see the bad side, because there are both in every group, Americans, British, Russians, Iraqis, everyone.

I see the flag and I see what we can be at our best. That doesn't prevent me from recognizing what we can be at our worst. I don't have to hate the flag to recognize the latter.