Why I don't fly the American flag
I was just forwarded an email from a friend - one of these "forward this to everyone you know!" kind of things. The point of the email was to exhort people to be sure to fly the American flag on 9/11.
Please join us in this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this email immediately to everyone in your address book asking them to also forward it. We have a little less than one week and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America.
THE PROGRAM IS THIS:
On Monday, September 11th, 2006, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this fifth anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
Action Plan: So, here's what we need you to do...
(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 10people). Please don't fail to do this. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.
(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day. My flag will be flying on 09-11-06, as usual.
God Bless You and God Bless America
I do not fly the flag, for several reasons.
1. I do not need to prove my patriotism to anyone. (What little I have, at least.)
2. I am ashamed of what this country has become, and what we've done in the years since 9/11. As my mother's bumper sticker reads, "Was this a great country or what?"
3. Flying the American flag has become an obnoxious symbol of jingoistic nationalism - a rebuke to other countries, and a sad message of supposed superiority.
4. I strongly disagree with the statement in that email that "our American flag is the fabric of our country". If so, that's some really misplaced fabric. I see the (fairly threadbare) fabric of our country as this: individual courage and strength, support for human rights and for peace, forward-thinking on important issues, and respect for the earth and its people
5. In this particular case, although the attack was on Americans, it was one of those "shots heard round the world" - it was an attack on peace, on Western values and Western politics. It was beyond horrible, and it garnered the sympathy and goodwill of countries all around the world. We quickly killed and squandered that goodwill with our insular, arrogant, "don't give a shit what the rest of the world thinks" attitude, and our subsequent actions in Iraq.
6. If I were religious I would probably have the bumper sticker that reads "God bless the whole world - no exceptions" as a counter to the "God bless America" ones which have way too much of a Henry V "God likes us best" sentiment. (Oh, and if there is a higher power out there, it doesn't take sides, and doesn't care if you score a touchdown or a homerun.)
I WILL be remembering 9/11, and all of those innocent people who died tragically and horribly, but I will be doing it by trying to be especially kind to my fellow humans on that day, and by sending out loving and peaceful thoughts to the world.
.
Please join us in this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this email immediately to everyone in your address book asking them to also forward it. We have a little less than one week and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America.
THE PROGRAM IS THIS:
On Monday, September 11th, 2006, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this fifth anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
Action Plan: So, here's what we need you to do...
(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 10people). Please don't fail to do this. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.
(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day. My flag will be flying on 09-11-06, as usual.
God Bless You and God Bless America
I do not fly the flag, for several reasons.
1. I do not need to prove my patriotism to anyone. (What little I have, at least.)
2. I am ashamed of what this country has become, and what we've done in the years since 9/11. As my mother's bumper sticker reads, "Was this a great country or what?"
3. Flying the American flag has become an obnoxious symbol of jingoistic nationalism - a rebuke to other countries, and a sad message of supposed superiority.
4. I strongly disagree with the statement in that email that "our American flag is the fabric of our country". If so, that's some really misplaced fabric. I see the (fairly threadbare) fabric of our country as this: individual courage and strength, support for human rights and for peace, forward-thinking on important issues, and respect for the earth and its people
5. In this particular case, although the attack was on Americans, it was one of those "shots heard round the world" - it was an attack on peace, on Western values and Western politics. It was beyond horrible, and it garnered the sympathy and goodwill of countries all around the world. We quickly killed and squandered that goodwill with our insular, arrogant, "don't give a shit what the rest of the world thinks" attitude, and our subsequent actions in Iraq.
6. If I were religious I would probably have the bumper sticker that reads "God bless the whole world - no exceptions" as a counter to the "God bless America" ones which have way too much of a Henry V "God likes us best" sentiment. (Oh, and if there is a higher power out there, it doesn't take sides, and doesn't care if you score a touchdown or a homerun.)
I WILL be remembering 9/11, and all of those innocent people who died tragically and horribly, but I will be doing it by trying to be especially kind to my fellow humans on that day, and by sending out loving and peaceful thoughts to the world.
.