Comments on: Beside the Seaside http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/ The official website of Luke Y. Thompson Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:20:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: sean (connery) http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/comment-page-1/#comment-9958 sean (connery) Tue, 07 Sep 2004 03:29:00 +0000 http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/#comment-9958 hoorah portland island. anyways. i was really happy after 9-11 when we got the us flag back as a symbol of being an american, not a white redneck militant american. it didn't last. i had a little us flag somewhere for awhile but i forget where it is. the only flag i have now is a magnet of the canadian flag. canada rocks. hoorah portland island.

anyways. i was really happy after 9-11 when we got the us flag back as a symbol of being an american, not a white redneck militant american. it didn’t last.

i had a little us flag somewhere for awhile but i forget where it is. the only flag i have now is a magnet of the canadian flag. canada rocks.

]]> By: LYT http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/comment-page-1/#comment-9957 LYT Sat, 04 Sep 2004 21:12:00 +0000 http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/#comment-9957 Where you get into trouble is cutting up an actual flag to make clothing. Nowadays having a flag-printed design on clothes is pretty common. "Patriotism as symbolised by flag waving is prettyy cheap and nasty" Why? Because conservatives do it? Don't let them monopolize the symbol. The flag represents the whole of the country, and it's pretty much the only symbol universally recognized as such. Is it cheap and nasty when the flag is waved for a winner at the Olympics? I know the standard arguments: 1. The flag has been used to oppress in the past. True, but so has your bloodline. Live with it. The flag represents your country now. Your country will never be flawless, and neither will you. 2. The flag is flown in war. Yes, to remind the soldiers of the life back home that they're ostensibly fighting for. It's flown in peace too. 3. The flag represents exclusionary xenophobic patriotism. Only because inclusive, pro-diversity types have let that happen. In some cases, the flag is crafted with a positive message in mind -- Ireland's flag optimistically represents peace (white) between Catholics (green) and protestants (orange). America's flag represents the unification of 13 original colonies against oppression, and 50 current diverse states as one nation. As I understand it, the Union Jack symbolizes a compromise between the individual countries of the UK. Any other meaning, it seems to me, is a projection, and often a bad one. Doesn't mean you can't project your own good one. For my part, I grew up outside the U.S., and longed to go back. I took great comfort from my father's U.S. flag as a reminder of who I was and where I wanted to be. That flag still hangs on my wall. Where you get into trouble is cutting up an actual flag to make clothing. Nowadays having a flag-printed design on clothes is pretty common.

“Patriotism as symbolised by flag waving is prettyy cheap and nasty”

Why? Because conservatives do it? Don’t let them monopolize the symbol. The flag represents the whole of the country, and it’s pretty much the only symbol universally recognized as such. Is it cheap and nasty when the flag is waved for a winner at the Olympics?

I know the standard arguments:

1. The flag has been used to oppress in the past. True, but so has your bloodline. Live with it. The flag represents your country now. Your country will never be flawless, and neither will you.

2. The flag is flown in war. Yes, to remind the soldiers of the life back home that they’re ostensibly fighting for. It’s flown in peace too.

3. The flag represents exclusionary xenophobic patriotism. Only because inclusive, pro-diversity types have let that happen. In some cases, the flag is crafted with a positive message in mind — Ireland’s flag optimistically represents peace (white) between Catholics (green) and protestants (orange). America’s flag represents the unification of 13 original colonies against oppression, and 50 current diverse states as one nation. As I understand it, the Union Jack symbolizes a compromise between the individual countries of the UK.

Any other meaning, it seems to me, is a projection, and often a bad one. Doesn’t mean you can’t project your own good one.

For my part, I grew up outside the U.S., and longed to go back. I took great comfort from my father’s U.S. flag as a reminder of who I was and where I wanted to be. That flag still hangs on my wall.

]]> By: offpat http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/comment-page-1/#comment-9956 offpat Sat, 04 Sep 2004 20:58:00 +0000 http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/#comment-9956 re the Union flag as emblem/clothing - didn't you used to get in a lot of trouble in the USA for using the stars and stripes for underwear or whatever? either way - the union Flag isn't something that people have taken much ownership of - neither do we swear allegiance to it - raise it and lower it outside public buildings - (well not much anyway) - and I for one am glad Patriotism as symbolised by flag waving is prettyy cheap and nasty - wearing another countries flag - now that's radical. re the Union flag as emblem/clothing – didn’t you used to get in a lot of trouble in the USA for using the stars and stripes for underwear or whatever?

either way – the union Flag isn’t something that people have taken much ownership of – neither do we swear allegiance to it – raise it and lower it outside public buildings – (well not much anyway) – and I for one am glad

Patriotism as symbolised by flag waving is prettyy cheap and nasty –

wearing another countries flag – now that’s radical.

]]> By: Hariet http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/comment-page-1/#comment-9955 Hariet Sat, 04 Sep 2004 19:53:00 +0000 http://www.lytrules.com/blog/2004/09/04/beside-the-seaside/#comment-9955 Thank you for letting us 'share in your UK trip' through the medium of your journal. The photos capture a feeling of family life - long may it live. Thank you for letting us ’share in your UK trip’ through the medium of your journal. The photos capture a feeling of family life – long may it live.

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