A Defiled American Flag

image

The last time I commented on flying, or waving, the American flag, back in December 2003, I titled my post United We Stand - But Only as Individual Americans.

I’ve recently been thinking about the flying of the American flag once again.  I’ve been flying the American flag from my front porch since I bought the home I’m currently living in back in 1992.  I’ve had to retire a number of the flags since I moved in, due to wear and tear, and have always taken these worn out flags and burned them at my trout camp.  But today I want to comment on the American flag image which opens this post.

I’ve always taken pride in the American flag.  My pride in the American flag may be the result of personal naivete, my prior service in the United States Navy submarine service, my love of America and all that America is supposed to embody, or a combination of these factors.

Some individuals may look at the American flag and see jingoism, while others may look at individual free expressions which utilize the American flag as shameful.  I personally looked at the American flag and saw liberty, freedom and opportunity, which is a mental image I think many individuals also see, especially individuals living in repressive countries who desire to emigrate to America to be free.

But back to the American flag in the image above.  That American flag is currently flying from my front porch.  It is without a doubt flying in violation of the flag code.  In fact, a couple of weeks ago, one of the Boy Scout troop leaders, who meet at the Catholic church down the street from my home, came by my house and asked if he could properly dispose of it for me.  I told him no.

I told this troop leader no for the following reasons, which I had articulated to my lovely Melis even prior to the troop leader’s knock on my door.

At the end of this past Winter, when I normally would have purchased a new American flag, and properly disposed of the tired flag, I told Melis that I was going to allow this American to rot on its flag pole.  I further told her that the reason I was going to do this was because all that America previously stood for; LIBERTY, FREEDOM, OPPORTUNITY; was being made a mockery of.  Granted, I told her, this has been going on for some time, but the pace of the destruction of America was accelerating.  We read about it daily, financial bailouts, automotive bailouts, industry infiltrations where the government makes decisions, rather than the market.  Groups of individuals are constantly claiming that America owes them this, that, and a cell phone, totally ignoring the fact that America cannot supply them with anything, that their spurious claims and wishes are fulfilled by forcefully taking from other, fellow Americans.

America, and what being an American means, is rotting.  There is a blight on America.  A blight of entitlement without work to earn, a blight of socialist ideology wrapped in an almost Christian fervor, a blight of leaders who instead of sacrificing to serve their fellow Americans, line their pockets with favors and ill gotten gains, while forcing their alleged constituents to pony up to make the payments due.  It is shameful, which is why I will allow that American flag flying from my front porch to continue to rot on its flag pole.  It is defiled, just like America is defiled.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/14 at 06:42 AM

  1. John, I too have always flown a flag from our home, for the same reasons.  And for the same reasons you’re leaving the tattered one up, I took our flag down (a year and a half ago).  I won’t fly it again until we live in America again, if ever.

    A couple we know from nearly 20 years ago gave it all up to be full-time missionaries in a large, closed Asian country.  Being a fairly new believer at the time, it was hard for me to understand how they could give up all that America was in exchange for what xxxxx offered.  Now I understand a little better, as He takes it all away from us, that I and many others have allowed a blessing to become an idol. 

    Whether that is worse than “demanding a king”, I can’t say.  All I know is that I see the time ahead as a time to straighten out my thinking, and to let go the tight hold I had on material things.  The empty place where the flag used to be began as a protest to the world, but is now a reminder to myself.

    Posted by BillH  on  04/14  at  07:33 PM

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Smileys

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Submit the word you see below:


Next entry: I Never Jacked In

Previous entry: "I Don't Want A Black History Month"

<< Back to main