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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in patriotism

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Reclaiming Our Symbols

 

This Fourth of July will see American flags displayed all over the nation because the flag is the symbol of our country, and the values associated with it.  In an important sense, our flag is unique, for the United States is the first country created from an ideological revolution whose basic principles were both universal and admirable, however short it fell in their application. The flag symbolizes the values of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, as well as values of community tribalism. It was because of this combined symbolism that Martin Luther King, jr. could appeal to America’s founding values in a way Nelson Mandela could not. And this association added power to his words.

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As the fourth of July rapidly approaches there will be flags all over the place and politicians will talk endlessly of patriotism.  Here in Sebastopol a guy often drives around town with American flag flapping over his pick up truck bed.  Once a week people who claim the “support out troops” stand on a busy corner and solicit honks from others while across the intersection people dressed in black stand as silent witnesses for peace. They support our troops as well, but differently.  All if asked probably think of themselves as patriots. But they are thinking of different things.

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A Fourth of July 4th meditation on patriotism

Here in Sebastopol, where I live, someone loves driving around in his pick-up with a huge American flag attached to its bed.  So far as I know he does it every day. I suppose he is making a statement about his patriotism.  Every week on the main corner here in town for years two groups face off, one loudly “supporting our troops” the other more quietly supporting peace.  The first waves flags and to my mind, sadly the second group generally does not, giving the first a visual advantage they do not deserve.  

Among people with more progressive sympathies patriotism has gotten a bit of a bad rap by being equated with those who talk the most aggressively about it, and shove their views in everyone’s face.  It’s rather like religion getting a bad rap because of the excesses of those who make the most noise about it.   I think this is too bad.  Patriotism is a complicated emotion and a complicated commitment, but it is very real for most of us.

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