I don’t understand this weird American obsession with flag. I was looking at some photos of Trump’s rallies. Flags everywhere - on shirts, hats, glasses etc. And this bizarre cult of the flag - “it cannot touch the ground” etc.

At the end of the day the flag is just a piece of cloth. If you worship any flag or take offense to any flag, you need to get a life.

  • Wolf314159@startrek.websiteEnglish
    1·
    4 months ago

    I’m no nationalistic fanatic of the flag, but is it really so difficult to understand that the flag is a symbol?

    Obviously each flag, be they for nations or other groups, represents more than just a piece of cloth to many people. Taking offence at someone else’s identifying with what a flag symbolizes is not okay. But, I tend to look skeptically at worship of any kind of idol, be it flag, cross, or text. That still doesn’t mean it’s okay to hate or persecute people for their beliefs, even if they appear silly to you and as long as they don’t hurt others.

    One group can demonstrate their respect for the nation by physically following some rules around the flag and others can demonstrate their loyalty to their ideals of the nation being violated by flying the flag upside down or burning a flag.

    A flag or banner is not just a piece of cloth, never has been.

    • ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      4 months ago

      you’re absolutely right, and reminds me of the George Carlin bit, hopefully I’ve remembered it right:

      “flags are symbols for the symbol-minded”

  • baduhai@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    I understand a flag having meaning. What I don’t understand is kids pledging allegiance to the flag everyday. That’s some North Korea shit.

    • masquenox@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      4 months ago

      That’s some North Korea shit.

      Nope. That’s some American shit. And it was American shit long before the DPRK even existed.

  • Zier@fedia.io
    0·
    4 months ago

    Nationalism is part of fascism. Just a FYI, it used to be illegal to make clothes out of the US flag. It’s only because of capitalism that it changed. And yes, any nation that goes flag crazy is stupid. Why do people fly a flag at their residence? We know what country we are in.