Today, when I was driving in to work, I saw a car being towed by a rather large tow truck, and noticed that the tow truck was emblazoned with “patriotic” symbols, such as flags, planes, and other red, white, and blue themed “USA is great”-ness. While I am all for showing your patriotic side, I think that there definitely is a continuum on which people fall with regards to displaying that patriotism; especially we Americans.
I tend to fall on the low end of the continuum, as I don’t have a flag anywhere in my house, on my property, or on my car. I don’t see the need to display the American flag to prove that I am in support of America, our troops, and our freedom. I have no problem with people putting flags, bumper stickers, and those awful “support the troops” ribbons on their cars, houses, and whatever they can find standing still long enough to attach them to; as long as it makes them feel somehow more patriotic for doing so. I do however, think that it is all a bit over board, as I said, I fall on the low end of the continuum, and these people clearly fall more in the middle, with many sitting close to the high end of the continuum.
Now, with that being said, I absolutely despise those people that take the notion of displaying patriotism beyond simply showing support through images of flags, words of support, or even those silly ribbons. (I say silly ribbons, for clarification purposes, because a ribbon on your car saying that you support the troops doesn’t make it any more real, or any more supportive than the rest of us that support them. If you really support them, send them a care package with the money you used to buy that ribbon; it would show more true support.). See, what I didn’t mention when I spoke of the tow truck earlier, was that as I took notice of the patriotic images plastered all over the truck, I started to notice that it went far beyond the simple flag and “we support the troops” display; it had a plane, dropping a bomb, with flumes of smoke and fire, to represent the destruction that we would bring on anyone that fucks with us. Now, in my opinion, that goes beyond patriotism, and clearly turns something that is meant to show that we are proud and supportive of our country and our troops, into something that represents a sadistic mindset where killing and destruction are somehow representative of our support of this country. And I think that is going too far.
If you feel the need to display this form of sadistic extreme “patriotism”, fine, but in my opinion, you have taken something that is supposed to be a positive affirmation of support, and turned it into a sad excuse for you to show your potential for hateful retaliation, under the guise of “support”. If you truly support our country, you don’t have to kill everyone else in the world to do so, so why not focus on the positive? I guess I just can’t understand the need to do that, because I don’t equate patriotism with bombing men, women, and children in the Middle East. We can be proud of who we are, without killing tons of other people in the process, and we can certainly show that we are proud of who we are without representing that pride as a bomb-dropping mural on a tow truck.
I am inclined to agree with you on this (surprise, surprise) but wanted to add that in my opinion when you have a leader that sets the kind of example that ours does (yes, I am talking about Shrub) what is to be expected. I will leave it alone now so as not to enter a tirade on Shrub and his “war on terror”.
Well said. I’ve often thought the only people those magnetic ribbons support are the manufacturer and the retailer.
Don’t even get me started on the rubber bracelets…
I really don’t like political vehicular decoration of any kind (I do, however, have a window sticker from my alma mater). No “God Bless America” on the one hand, but no rainbow sticker on the other (please note: I am not equating the rainbow with anti-America; I am just using it as a more left leaning contrast to the more right leaning God bless America). People behind me in rush hour don’t need to know my politics (or sexual orientation), and I haven’t heard of a single person who has changed their opinion on an issue because of a bumper sticker.
Pink, you’re so right, a bumper sticker never changed anyone’s mind (and it just ruins the paint job anyway)
I had been chatting with friends and relatives around the world in recent months, and it keeps coming back to the same thing… while they absolutely refuse (as do I) to tar all Americans with the same brush, the administration has ruined the reputation over the past 6 years of the country and it’s people around the world.
The “it’s all about me” attitude, or the “up yours” attitude that a few louder than most people display… it’s just not the attitude of everyone. But, unfortunately, in so many cases (and again I’m saying you CANNOT blame all for the actions of a few), the typical response is “oh, it’s a yank, what did you expect?” or you see a loud and obnoxious tourist in a store, and more than a few mumble “american” under their breath while pointing out the behaviour. Again, it’s going to be the stereotypes, like the bomb-dropping plane on the truck that’s ruining the reputation of many. Not all Americans I know are chest-thumping, loud, obnoxious, “we’re number 1″ types. In fact, in 43 years, I’ve only ever met one who fit that stereotype (and it turned out he was hilariously funny). You encounter the occasional character or eccentric now and then, but, that’s just the local “colour”
Had an e-mail recently from a friend in the U.K. Was telling me about a time some people were in their establishment, and while they were wearing Canadian flags, he said, soon as the loudest of the bunch opened his mouth, they just “knew” they were Americans. I had heard of that flag swapping happening, but that’s the first time I heard of it going from urban myth to actual occurrence.
It’s pitiful that a few knuckleheads have ruined the reputation of so many. And while the actions of the administration have caused this unrest elsewhere, the rest of us (outside of the U.S.A.) really need to take a look before we condemn an entire population, because we’ve all got the same types at home too.
Same goes for all those gay pride stickers… rainbows, equal signs, pink triangles… we get it. Such sadistic extreme “pride.”
Again, dave, your lack of perspective has lead you into incorrect assumptions, and gives you the wrong conclusion. Pride stickers, banners, flags, and symbols are about POSITIVE affirmation; they do not speak about, call for, or represent the harming of anyone. The examples that I described above, however, do represent a sadistic need to kill or maim, and hide it under the guise of being “patriotic”. If you believe that being proud of who you are, and representing it with a symbol of your pride (which is the same as those positive representations of patriotism, which again, I have no problem with, as long as it makes the presenters feel patriotic), I again, feel sorry for your lack of perspective, and hope that you can stop over simplifying things, as it continually causes you to come to incorrect conclusions. But perhaps you were being sarcastic; I can only hope that is the case.
I remember shortly after 119 (in this part of the world we put the day before the month) how it became such a fashion trend to put flags everywhere - just in case there was any doubt that one was an American. I’ve always thought if you wanted to show your patriotism you should vote in each election and pay your taxes.
I wondered at the time what would happen as their $2 contributions to “patriotism” (and the factory in China that made them) began to fade - what would they do? Would they respectfully burn the flag (as one is supposed to do, rather than pass a constitutional amendment against) and replace it with a new flag? Would they simply leave it to fade and become tattered? Would they toss it in the trash since the fad has passed?
I had a good chuckle one day in the parking garage - a big gas guzzling truck had a flag and statement that said “these colors don’t run” but the red of the flag had faded in the sun to a nice gay pink - and I thought, no, they don’t run.
This very weekend I inherited a car from my parents that has an American flag sticker in a prominent place. My first thought was actually, “Will everyone think I am a Republican?”
PS I grew up in Marietta! GO Hotlanta!