Mistaken Realities
by Ken Nicholson
Much confusion amongst our right-winged cousins. Not only have they wandered off the path of reason, they mistake our flag for the country itself, the Pledge of Allegiance for patriotism, and shit for brains. The latter is, clinically speaking, not really an analogy, but something they demonstrate over and over again.
A symbol does represent something and we should focus our attention on that something and not on the symbol. When you go into a restaurant you first look at the menu to choose the meal that appeals to you. The menu contains the symbols of what you came for. You do not then eat the menu, but rather the food you selected, hopefully.
The flag does represent, however, all the things the righteous righties claim and then some, but they are not, in and of themselves, liberty and justice for all. The symbols of this nation are also not of themselves capable of being fragile or strong and therefore do not require protection. However, the nation can be weak or strong in all the ways they mentioned.
When our nation is weakened, headed in the wrong direction, or under attack, it demands our attention. One symbolic way of drawing people’s attention to our nation in trouble is to turn the flag up-side down. Again, that does not mean that the flag is in trouble. It is possible and quite common for people to not pledge allegiance to the flag, put their hands over their heart, or show up at the 4th of July parade, and still have allegiance to our country. Our symbols are nice reminders of what we the people as a nation stand for, but they are not to be idolized. I am suspicious of public displays of holiness and patriotism.
Nicholson Greer
