A Modest Proposal for the 4th: Take Back Old Glory
In Dr. Seuss's The Sneetches, there were two kinds of these odd beach-dwelling creatures -- those with stars on their bellies and those without. The ones with the stars saw themselves as inherently superior:
When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts
Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts,They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches.
They left them out cold, in the dark of the beaches.
Then along came a stranger, one Sylvester McMonkey McBean, who had a contraption that applied -- for a price -- stars to the bellies of the decoratively challenged:
Then they yelled at the ones who had stars at the start,
"We're exactly like you! You can't tell us apart.We're all just the same, now, you snooty old smarties!
And now we can go to your frankfurter parties."
Then the snobby Sneetches had their stars removed -- yes, McBean's machine could do that, too -- and starlessness became the coin of the realm, after which it all descended into on-again-off-again chaos until it was impossible to keep track of who'd been who and they decided to just all get along as equals -- albeit impoverished equals, as they'd given all of their money to the con man who'd repeatedly applied and removed their stars.
But enough, for now, about Sneetches.
Of all the stupid things done by the anti-war crowd, the most gratuitously moronic was allowing the sanctimonious hypocrites of the right to co-opt the nation's most basic icon, its flag. The emblem of the country's highest aspirations was mindlessly ceded to the holier-than-thou zealots who used it as a bludgeon against the less fanatical.
Having unburdened itself of patriotism, the left proceeded over the years to also give away religion, national security and, finally, the elections themselves, but this devolution, into the pathetic puddle of unprincipled, acquiescent wimpiness that the Democrats have become, started with -- or rather, without -- the flag. It's hard to remember a presidential election in which that cavalier surrender hasn't exacted a serious price.
Eventually the lapel was established as the battlefield, and the degree of one's patriotic fervor is now presumed based on whether or not said lapel sports a flag pin. The flag pin wearer clearly loves his country -- for Christ's sake, he's wearing its flag! -- and as for the flagless, well, one can only wonder why they hate America so much that they won't allow its proudest symbol on their persons.
Republicans love to demagogue the flag, and this year that and fear-mongering are all they have. The presence or absence of the mini-Stars 'N' Stripes has the potential to erupt into a weeks-long October distraction, with the contemptible castrata of the media not just providing the stage but also trilling in the chorus. But we can prevent it, and so easily that there's really no excuse not to.
All of the conventional political wisdom of decades is mere rubble in the wake of the Bush-Cheney catastrophes. Whether or not they have health insurance or can afford the gas to drive to their jobs is more important to many past "values" voters than whether or not homosexual couples can call their unions "marriage." Significant numbers of previously intolerant evangelicals are now focusing on saving the earth instead of merely hating hordes of its occupants. Formerly dark red states are purple and may well turn blue. The right is reeling, they can't find a single thing to point to that's better than it was before Bush, so while they're busy dealing with issues of basic survival, let's just slip in there and take back the damn flag. Take it back from the war criminals and their apologists and enablers that have wrapped themselves in it even as they've been methodically destroying the republic for which it stands.
Barack Obama, who earlier took some flack for his empty lapel, is on the cover of the latest Rolling Stone with flag pin gleaming. We should follow his lead. Everyone who's voting for Obama -- and especially those who are public figures (i.e. Keith Olbermann, Jack Cafferty, Rachel Maddow) must immediately procure a flag pin and not be seen without it before November 5th. If you can't do it with pride, do it as an act of subversion.
When everyone's wearing the flag it will be neutralized. It will cease to provide cover, and then all those with a need to display their moral superiority will have to find a new symbol to set them apart. A new image to mount on a pin and attach to fabric that says, "I am, in my essence, better than you."
I suggest the Star-Belly Sneetch.
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Right Paul, let's "take back" the flag. And the military. And the corporations, and the nukes, and the mass media, and everything else that represents, mediates, reinforces, or sustains our sense of national exceptionalism. Surely things will be better then...
"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."
--G. Orwell
Continued.
But now—fool America twice, shame on me, fool America thrice—shame on you. Toughen up America, and see the tree for the fruit it has borne. Do not sell out your country. Please, this Independence Day, commit to think for yourself and love America by standing up to the manipulative media. Stand up to the shallow sound snip. PLEASE don’t let them bomb Iran and sell the soul of America. They are war profiteers and need to be stopped. Be tough, be brave, be thoughtful, and love your country by resisting the culture of corruption.
Remember, “Sweet land of liberty, to thee I sing….”
For Sneetches with stars and none upon thars, my call is to stand up for the America that is ours.
Continued.
America, you need to toughen up and realize that dissent, dissent, DISSENT, is the American way. And those of you that made us ashamed to place a peace sign in our windows because somehow that was not patriotic, when we knew all the time that these oil men were lying to us, and we knew the media was manipulating us, and we were against this ill begotten war of choice, you need you realize that we were true patriots—do you hear me—TRUE PATRIOTS.
We knew because we listened, we read, we could see the fruit of the deceptive tree of the axis of evil. We tried to tell you. We lost friends. We were shunned for being unpatriotic. We cried out to the Spirits when the bombs were dropping on innocents.
You maligned us, while we were crying out for your sons and daughters to still be alive today and I am sorry that our voice was not louder and more effective. I’m sorry. There is no joy in seeing what has happened. I sincerely love each and every life lost and I’m so sorry.
This country was founded by revolution, by throwing the king out. Dissent is the American way. Perhaps Huffington Post should post the Declaration of Independence so people can read the document and find that it is absolutely true to this day. We should impeach this "king" George and throw his butt in the slammer. If you believe in justice, if you believe in freedom, resist the powers that would take your liberties away from you. Throw the bums out!
While McBean came to the conclusion that “…they never will learn; no—you can’t teach a sneech!” anyone who is familiar with America’s greatest philosopher knows that “…the Sneetches got quite a bit smarter that day. That day, they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches,
and no kind of Sneetch is the BEST on the beaches. That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars,
and whether they had one or not upon thars.”
On this 4th of July, my American heart is heavy. We have been assaulted, used, manipulated and deceived—with only a portion of the evil doers being born of another country. It is painful to see those who have placed their hands upon the bible they claim to believe in, swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and then proceed to tear at the fabric our founding fathers collaboratively wove together.
The “deciders” are deceivers, and the cost that America has paid is far beyond the dollar bill. When I say “deciders” I declare that the evil doers were multiple and mono-voiced in their sins against our soldiers, against our children, the children of Iraq, and against America.
Shame, shame, shame on those pirating profiteers; on those complacently cowardous media moguls; and those enabling mouth pieces who enjoyed their privilege as they supported deceptive deeds.
great post, south prairie.
Yep. The media that supported them, like NBC, Time, Newsweek, NewYorkTimes, AP etc. Should be shunned.
Post this on a conservative blog. Maybe, just maybe it will help.
Well said South Prairie. Brace for the neo-response. It's coming. We're with you.
Uh, first, how did you go from insulting "the anti-war crowd" to talking about the Democrats? The two are not the same, and I'd like to know on what grounds you think it's fair to imply that the anti-war crowd did many stupid things? Actually, we were too busy trying to warn the country that the war would be an unmitigated disaster to do much of anything else.
Second, your idea indicates that the you failed to understand the point of the Seuss story.
The anti-war crowd not only did many stupid things, they upped the ante and continue to do more. Someone must have challenged them to be stupider.C
Seuss made a good point for kids. Maybe you missed that.
That anti-war crowd did well and made certain people with particular investments very angry because they succeeded.
Nobody expects change to come without resistance. Yet, change does come.
Not everyone expects everyone else to understand how it works. Yet many others do.
You sir, do not speak for all Americans. You speak for those in the 33 percent that adhere to this un-Christian path we have taken in the last 8 years. You have that right. We have the right to disagree.
God bless America!
Ah yes, Code Pink -- they're so impolite now aren't they? The nerve. Why can't they just remain civil like serious citizens?
Again, you miss the point Seuss was making. Here's a hint: you can't win by trying to usurp the symbol of those who fancy themselves superior.
I think it's a grand idea - as in grand old flag. The point is not to demonstrate one's patriotism or claim a higher grade of patriotism than the other guy. The point is to neutralize the people who make that claim. It's a subtle thing but needs to be done. There are too many people in this country with a "more American than thou" attitude and we have to steal the thunder out of that attitude.
I plan on wearing something red white and blue on election day myself. I never wear those colors because I used to think it was so republican but I'm changing my mind on that now. I own those colors as much as the next guy.
Well, Paul, thanks for the suggestion, but I think NATIONALISM is a peculiarly NARROW way of looking at the world. My view is probably a result of all those years in CATHOLIC seminary.
I'm no longer Catholic, but I still retain the idea that we are ALL children of God, and that that God looks at our HEARTS before looking at our national boundaries.
We are no better than anyone else, just because of living within certain geological boundaries, and those who disagree are usually unusually ignorant, and have never spent much time anywhere else.
I have.
We are INCREDIBLY fortunate that our Founders were children of the Enlightenment. Imagine what our nation would be like if it were designed by today's "patriots.
Our fundamental ideals are WONDERFUL, and THAT's what makes me proud to live here, but we have MUCH WORK to do to bring them into REALITY.
i don't think respect for the founders necessarily amounts to nationalism, david. maybe i'm a bit of a pollyanna, but i think they intended their ideas for the benefit of all mankind, and simply chose this place to start up. the writings of our founders were awe-inspiring, and to dig deeper and read their private feelings in letters and such things, the crises of conscience they struggled with, and their absolute determination to see that justice and law would be our standard, are truly humbling.
i also refuse to call these right wing fanatics "patriots.
I will wear the American flag on my lapel and fly a flag from my door the day Barak Obama is sworn in as president, because then I can honestly say I am proud of my country.
AMEN, gblair!
And I also.....a
Do you think I can find a flag pin made in America?
Find a flag pin made in the USA ? lMAO. I have one of those ribbons handed out if you joined the military during the Vietnam war. If I wore that as a lapel pin would I be considered patriotic or an idiot. Not sure where it was made. Are the medals we hand out to our Military made in this country? All the flags I have seen for sell (for profit of course) are made in china. Kinda adds insult to injury dosen't it. Sorta spooky like a" twilight zone" episode, your country's symbol made by your enemy, and using the profits to enslave you. The Republican right wing thinks the flag is for the same thing they use everything for , Profit and politics.
This is playing into the right wing nonsense that patriotism is defined as waving - or wearing - the flag. That is one of the reasons dissent has all but disappeared in the US. Patriotism is love of country...
Good read, titled Yankee Doodle Deadly links to a pdf that is far more meaningful as a means to reclaiming the flag. It surely isn't joining the faux patriots by wearing a lapel pin.
http://tvn
I cannot understand why anyone started this whole thing about our FLAG pin. Just because we see someone not wearing it, DOES NOT mean they are not patriotic. Obama only wears it now, trying to make us believe he is SOOOOO Patriotic, when we know for certain, he is not. Can't you see how he is encircling the young people, the ones that know very little about the duties of a President and all others that fall for that stupid smile and those words he is preaching. He is nothing, nil, nada compared to the person we could have had as our candidate. He was picked out by the DNC and MEDIA, for some reason, don't know what, to be the democratic candidate for President. He is still unknown, meaning he will not tell all about his life, of course, he would change that also. As he has a habit of going to retrack his earlier opinions. How could he make a definite decision, ALL BY HIMSELF? He would change his mind the next day or so.
Please Puhleeze PUHLEEZE get over it. Stop! Do you want another 4 more years??? Stop stop stop!!!
Obama was picked by destiny because he is living proof of the AMerican dream and an example of the Americah meting pot that we USED TO be proud of.
SMAGGIE,
I also have emotions on this issue. But personal feelings cloud the good of all, and I wear and fly the flag to make a point. It is not the dominion of the neo cons alone. They get to hammer the Progressives as being un-American. I AM NOT UN-AMERICAN!
I am a good citizen, and a Progressive Liberal. I choose to honor the flag and not make a mockery of it. There will always be someone who opposes good things. They try to appear as good themselves, but their words and actions reveal them.
Being in the military is a courageous and patriotic endeavor. It is not the only way to be a patriot, however. Violence should not be the core meaning of our flag.
IF and I say IF I decide to fly the flag it will be because I choose to and not because I am forced to for one reason or another. Unlike some I know the difference when it comes to sincere motives and when not. Republicans can do all manner of phoney smoke and mirror patriotic "Acts" and it still won't get me to believe that they mean it. So why should I join the idiots and liars. Let me give an example of what I consider Republican duplicity. Republicans claim to have a lock on Family Values. What do they mean by it though? To me family values means families have the time to enjoy togetherness and that parents will have time to monitor their children and give them constructive life lessons. Today most families spend little time together. Parents spend most of their time working to exist and don't have time to spend with their children or each other. What is responsible for that. Simply put , it's the guys who own most of the businesses in America, guys who I will wager are primarily Republicans. So while Republicans may give lip service to Family Values, in reality they only care about themselves. And that is why I won't play the game. I am an American, I know it and that is all that matters, They can't take that away from me ever.
Enjoy it while it lasts! Despite the fact that a federal judge appointed by Bush Sr. has just ruled that the existing FISA law (1978) still works and contains exclusitivity, the Senate next week will take this perfectly effective law and stomp it into the ground. Federal Cir. Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the argument that the telecoms require immunity is not based in fact. So, despite this fact (from a Republican Judge no less), we are about to lose whole sections of our 4th Amendment Rights because of the calculations of the DLC. Head Democrats (who in part drafted the new bill with AT&T lawyers), will now vote to strike the immunity from the bill- that they introduced. They will grandly point out that they voted no (Pelosi, Reid and Rockefeller), so that their constituents will believe they thought it was wrong. And to top it all off, Barack Obama responded to his loyalist to stonewall about how this new bill is needed because the Protect America Act (which expired in Feb.) is a good thing. I really wonder if this was the direction the founding fathers thought we would go. For me, the 4th of July will become just another day. Have a safe weekend. And watch what you say on the telephone.
Have been flying the flag ever since Richard Nixon first wrapped himself up in it and said only conservatives were patriots. Too many leftists swallowed the bait, all right.
May i recommend to all a wonderful little red book called _The True Patriot_ by Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer. I have been passing out copies to all my friends. It is full of the best bits of the great American speeches in easily digested bits. It has a section of iconic American images.. including the flag. It will take you about an hour to read and your buttions will burst with pride.
I started proudly flying my flag during the Saint Reagan years.
I didn't want those bastards to think they had a lock on patriotism. I will see their flag and raise them one flag banner.
Or a bigger flag.
Having said that I need to remind everyone:
Your flag decal won't get you
Into heaven any more,
It's already over crowded
From your dirty little war.
Jesus don't like killing
No matter what the reasons for
Your flag wont get you
Into heaven any more
Thank you on this Independence Day John Prine.
I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And awake in the dawn's early light
But, much to my surprise, when I opened my eyes
I was a victim of the great compromise
Joanna: You know what, Stan, if you want me to wear 37 pieces of flair, like your pretty boy over there, Brian, why don't you just make the minimum 37 pieces of flair?
Stan, Chotchkie's Manager: Well, I thought I remembered you saying that you wanted to express yourself.
Joanna: Yeah. You know what, yeah, I do. I do want to express myself, okay. And I don't need 37 pieces of flair to do it.
[flips off Stan]
Office Space (1999)
DavidF07,
You make your point very well. Applause for that.
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