Offended by the Flag
May 29th 2009 14:31
Every few months or so I hear of a story of person on US soil who was forced to take down a US flag because someone was offended by it.
I am so perplexed by stories like this that I hardly know where to begin. In the first place, we as a people or as a nation do not exist merely to offend you. If our flag or our country does offend you, I for one grant you full and free rights to move. Right now if you want to. You may leave the country without prejudice or hard feelings. And after you go, please don't be thinking about us because I for one will not be thinking about you. There's more than enough to occupy us here, American Idol, toe nails, cute puppies, anything.
Now as to finding the American Flag offensive, mind you if it was a photo of Dick Cheney torturing a child, or Dick Cheney getting drunk, sneaking up on a friend and shooting him in the face, then I could see you being offended.
If we were in Mexico and I insisted on putting up a US Flag in an office I shared with Mexican Nationals, I could definitely understand someone taking Umbrage. "Have some respect for the nation and the people," I could almost hear someone say. It would make sense to me.
If, after you were born and matured into an adult, if at that point, someone dragged you here at gun point and if someone keeps you here at gun point even now, then I could understand your unhappiness. But the last time I checked, people walk into this country every day. Sometimes illegally. Since in your mind any place else is better, why not walk out?
Patriotism and certainly faux patriotism is not and should never be a condition of employment. But if I ever move back to Texas again I expect to once again see the Lone Star Flag on everything from birdhouses and school yards to prisons and billboards. I did some times wonder if Texas residents feared they might forget where they were, but it is difficult to imaging loathing a flag. Similarly if I go to Mexico and try and do business or work a job there I expect to learn to speak Spanish and to see the Mexican flag wherever the people there decide to put it. What possible concern would that be for me?
There is some rampant dishonesty in the world. There are flags of communist,totalitarian and fascist nations which even now are torturing people in gulags and prisons.
The United States ended slavery by choice and now a man who would have been a slave 200 years ago is president. I am not in the mood to apologize to anyone for the US flag. I wonder if the people who complained about having a flag displayed in their office had free and fair elections in the country they came from or was the opposition jailed or killed? Maybe their anger is misplaced.
By they Einstein, back in your home country if you told someone you were offended by that nation's flag, what would authorities and/or your fellow citizens do to you? As for me, I am deeply disappointed in your, behavior.
Hey is "Idol" on?
| 20 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
