amer, i can!

i am sitting here at my desk staring at my dry erase calendar in my post houseguest-madonna-florida-sister-jetblue-4th-of-july-bbq-rainy-wednesday-dark-circles-under-my-eyes haze. more specifically, i'm staring at the cartoony american flag that i scribbled under the 4, and i started thinking how unfortunate it is that the american flag has become increasingly synonymous with everything that is redneck, conservative, and narrow-minded in this country.

before september 11, conservative extremists, racists and bigots seemed to rely on the less-subtle confederate flag to illustrate their views, and while they still undoubtedly do, the american flag itself has been increasingly brandished by the same people to relay the same messages, when in fact, it was created to represent the opposite. (you'll need to forgive my vast generalizations as my observations unravel. this isn't an easy one to articulate).

so, how did this happen? i hypothesize that is has everything to do with the sharp division that has arisen in this country between the so-called "red states and blue states." the 2004 election was not the first to illustrate electoral votes with the red and blue color-coded system, but it is the first to divide the country in such an elementary and finite way, and it is no coincidence that it was also the first election since the events of 2001.

since those fateful events, a significant number of people in those "red states" (see: vast generalization) have waved the flag so vigorously, and proliferated it on so many antennas, t-shirts and bumper stickers, that the rest of the country has started to cringe when they see it. the feelings of pride, support, and mourning that the flags originally represented across the entire country in the months after september 11th have faded away and left many americans with a fashion trend as dated as fanny packs and mall bangs.

there are, of course, arguments to the contrary. we are at war, after all. we have thousands of men and women in the armed forces to support, along with true pride in our nation that we should all feel. and i do. it is not my intention to "dumb down" the flag to something that belongs on i love the 90s, but that is exactly what i fear continued misuse and misrepresentation will do.

we, as a country, simply need to reexamine what the flag really stands for. for the past 230 years (and one day) america has been a country of evolution, independent thought, opportunity, freedom, and most importantly, peace. and, if that is what you are thinking when you see the red, white, and blue banner, then by all means, fly it high wherever you want.

what i fear, however, are the people who hum toby keith's "courtesy of the red, white and blue" and are unable to decipher between a battle cry and a way of life.

oh, justice will be served and the battle will rage.
this big dog will fight when you rattle his cage
you'll be sorry that you messed with the US of A
'cuz we'll put a boot in your ass
it's the american way.

actually, it's not.