of our country, the United States of America.
To me the flag stands for all that’s tried and true, old and new about this great nation. First of all, the idea, that bold original vision, of a government whose structure and values would stand the test of time and become the envy of the rest of the world.
But, like any symbol, a flag starts out as a nearly empty vessel that gets filled with associations, with its enduring meaning, only over time. The US flag—the one with a circle of stars that the Continental Congress mandated in the first Flag Act of June 14, 1777—was at first little more than an exercise in graphic identity: stripes for the original 13 colonies; stars for each subsequent state, colors connoting the country’s aspirational values.Since then it has acquired countless reinforcements of that image, the vast majority of them involving decent, even noble, policies and actions. There have also been blotches of shame.
I honor Old Glory, despite those blemishes, for representing our country’s sincere efforts to follow its citizens' best instincts. For global leadership. For well-considered change and growth. For the sacrifices citizens have made to defend those precious bedrock values: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
CARE AND FEEDING
Symbols, whether those representing nations or corporations or movements, need constant attention to make sure the values they represent do not lose their power or become tainted. Some, like the hammer and sickle, while they surely have positive associations for those invested in them, conjure nothing but repression, cruelty and fear for others around the world.
The swastika, which for centuries had enjoyed mostly positive artistic and spiritual associations, got twisted into the very embodiment of evil when appropriated by Nazi Germany. [Sadly, the full extent of such monstrous mutations often becomes evident only in hindsight.]
Make no mistake, the hijacking of symbols
is one of the very hallmarks of tyranny.
Fortunately, symbols of my country have been stewarded wisely, managing, despite some great failings, to retain their time-honored respect and admiration for generations.
Until now.
THE TRAITOR TEST
Witness what is happening to our great USA flag during our country’s current convulsion of aggrieved, me-first nationalism. A newly-empowered minority, emboldened by their hero, a reckless, morally bankrupt, aggressively insecure president, would like to hijack the star-spangled banner to represent not America’s characteristic leadership, generosity and optimism—values all Americans can share—but their own misguided beliefs.
Here’s what that looks like: I have Facebook friends—Trump supporters—who’ve apparently gotten sick and tired of getting called out for their fear-based, anti-tolerance posts. Having lost all credibility for their continuing praise of the most dubious president in U.S. history, they’ve turned to symbols they see as unassailable.
They’re the same kinds of sacred cows that oppressive regimes around the world always lionize: the flag, the “office” of the supreme leader, the military heroes. Oh, and, in evangelical America, let’s not forget God.
“We’re watching you, just waiting for
another sign that the reason you abhor
the current degenerate administration in
Washington is that you hate America.”
It’s one thing to put out there an image of the U.S. flag or of some poor combat vet who’s lost his or her legs to an IED. I’m happy to “like” or “sad-face” that. But it’s another thing entirely when they challenge you to either accept their view of patriotism—saturated with their own warped interpretation of national values—or be labeled somehow traitorous.
“We’ll just see who’s patriotic enough”—read redneck reactionary enough—“to share this.” Of course, the implication is “We’re watching you, just waiting for another sign that the reason you abhor the current degenerate administration in Washington is that you just plain hate America.”
SMALL STEPS BUT PERILOUS
Make no mistake, the hijacking of symbols is one of the very hallmarks of tyranny. One need only look to history (like science, something these nationalist zealots despise for its honesty) to know that mindless flag worship is a favorite device for rendering truth dangerous.
They are very small steps, indeed, from a
symbol used in inspire, to one used to incite,
to one used because it becomes mandated
by those who have usurped power.
A collapsing country’s emblems, even those once standing for visionary ideas, begin taking on new meanings, defended with new fervor. At first, the tainting may be subtle—like who would care if people wave their little American flags at a Trump rally. But then folks are seen waving them at white nationalist rallies and in other expressions of intolerance which, in kinder, gentler times, we would have thought beneath us as citizens of this land of freedom and equality.Before long, you can’t run for office without an Old Glory flag pin, or conduct a meeting without reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
They are very small steps, indeed, from a symbol used to inspire, to one used to incite, to one used, alas, because it becomes mandated by those who have usurped power.
In the words of American abolitionist Wendell Phillips:
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty;
power is ever stealing from the many to the few.”
Well, you alt-right lemmings, I’m here to tell you that neither Old Glory—nor the Pledge, nor the White House, nor the wounded vet, nor the American eagle (nor any symbol of our good ol’ USA)—is yours for the taking.
So go ahead and wear your little Make America Great caps. Recite your pledge. Salute all you want. But Old Glory is the flag of every American, not just those who look like you, think like you, love like you or pray like you. In fact, I would remind my Trumpist friends that what our star-spangled banner represents also belongs, in ways your fear has apparently obscured, to those who aspire to become Americans. Like your ancestors.
