I WANT MY FLAG BACK! [View all]

[Thunderbeast]

Somewhere in the last fifty years, we have allowed the American Flag to be conscripted and defiled by radical conservatives, evangelical fundamentalists, and militarists. I WANT MY FLAG BACK! I want my flag to represent the good that our people can do when we work together to make ALL OF US healthier, happier, and more prosperous.

The American Flag is NOT owned by a conservative Republican Party. It has been proudly carried by progressives, liberals, and even Socialists for decades.

The American Flag IS NOT the exclusive totem of white Evangelical Christians. It is the flag that represents hope for Muslims, Jews, Hopi, Hindus, Agnostics and even Athiests. Stop using it to force your particular belief systems on the rest of us. Adams, Madison, Jefferson, and Hamilton WERE VERY CLEAR! No faith will dominate laws and policies. The mottoes and pledges that we know from our currency and schoolroom rituals ARE NOT traditions of the founding fathers. They were inventions from modern times that were meant to provide a symbolic gesture (and thus avoid making meaningful sacrifices) . The Pledge of Allegiance was a creation of the Reader's Digest magazine in the 20th century.

We honor and respect the brave Americans who fought and died in defense of the nation. That, however, does NOT mean that unquestioning allegiance to a flag or a government is required in order to be a patriot, or to be grateful. Real patriots would spend more effort working to take care of veterans, and give more than lip-service to their needs. It means raising the money by PAYING TAXES for health care, mental health and addiction services, and housing. MY FLAG honors vets by REALLY caring for their needs.

Standing for the National Anthem is NOT “patriotic”. Standing is an abstract gesture that has become meaningless in the context of swilling beers before kickoff. Those athletes that have chosen to take a knee in protest of systemic failings of our institutions, are making a statement about SPECIFIC injustices. They are risking career and fortune in hopes that our people will live up to the ideals represented by that flag.

Finally, a shout out to Meghan Linsey. She sang the song with emotion, then, in a gesture that made my eyes swell a bit, she took a knee. To me, her kneeling down was the most powerful image of this memorable Football Sunday. The news reports that other singers took a knee as well.