It is Flag Day. The Indy Star has a useful article in regards to the origins of the vacation and the correct solution to deal with an American flag. That features easy guidelines like flying it proper aspect up, by no means placing some other picture or textual content on the flag, and never sporting the flag like clothes.
It doesn’t cowl molesting the flag prefer it’s a blow-up doll, or utilizing the flag as a weapon to beat law enforcement officials and smash home windows. However possibly the parents who made the foundations thought these issues went with out saying.
As Republicans (together with a Supreme Court docket justice and his ornery spouse) are celebrating today by flying the American flag the wrong way up, the The New York Instances is able to hand the flag over to Donald Trump to fondle as a lot as he desires. In a nauseating article that may’t cease gushing about how Trump is the “51st star,” the paper is simply so overwhelmed by Trump hugging and kissing the flag and the patriotism of his huge pink tie that they declare the flag the property of only one get together.
President Joe Biden doesn’t agree. In a brand new advert, the Biden-Harris marketing campaign unabashedly celebrates the historical past and that means of the American flag— a flag that belongs to everybody.
“The stars and stripes were created to unite us,” the narrator says within the advert. “It is a powerful symbol that Americans stand together.”
After a collection of voices recite the Pledge of Allegiance, we hear Biden’s voice.
“I don’t pledge allegiance to red states of America or blue states of America,” he says. “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.”
Biden and his fellow Democrats do not should reclaim the flag, as a result of we’re not those appearing like we’re ashamed of it. We’re not flying it the wrong way up whereas claiming that it is a “third-world country” or “banana republic.” We’re not waving across the image of a failed insurrection that took the lives of tons of of 1000’s of loyal Individuals. We’re not smearing orange make-up on the flag whereas moaning a couple of “nation in decline.” We’re not those calling America a “cesspool.”
Hugging the flag whereas slamming the nation shouldn’t be patriotism.
To seek out somebody claiming that “the Democrats basically cede the flag to the right,” The New York Instances needed to hunt down a historical past professor speaking about protests from 60 years in the past. They don’t appear to have seen that previously decade, Republicans have been demeaning not simply the flag, however the nation it stands for.
If there’s a flag flying exterior the Instances headquarters, somebody may wish to examine to see which aspect is up.
On Flag Day, Individuals are celebrating a rustic that’s stronger, safer , and extra affluent than ever. As Biden’s advert says, the flag belongs to all Individuals. It’s meant to unite us, not drive us aside. The flag shouldn’t be one thing the Republicans can personal, or the Instances may give away.
Pleased Flag Day.
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Hopium Chronicles’ Simon Rosenberg joins Markos to debate the “red wave-ification” of the economic system and the way ready Democrats are for November. There may be nonetheless work to do however we now have a greater candidate—and we now have the sting. |
