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Thursday, August 28, 2008
Democrats throw flags in the trash?
"Absentee" over at Redstate has some interesting pictures from the Democratic National Convention. Here's one:
Section 176 (Respect for Flag):
"The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise."
"The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way."
"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."
Well, at least the Democrats didn't toss the flag in with a bunch of candy wrappers, greasy discarded pizza boxes, torn up Obama signs, and empty water bottles, right?
Oh.
More pictures here.
Posted by Terrence Watson on August 28, 2008 | Permalink
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Get a grip, people. This is not intentional desecration; this is the discarding of one-time-use, red-white-and-blue party favours. Real, full-sized flags would be something else. If you want to take Democrats to task, there are plenty of valid criticisms; you don't need to make crap up.
P.S. Since we all know how the Democrats fret over the spoliation of our environment, especially "honorary head Democrat" Al Gore, I trust all these "flags" are recyclable?
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-08-28 1:17:14 PM
Shane- All materials used in the convention are not only recyclable, they're embedded with seeds and fertilizer that will sprout into assorted leafy vegetables when discarded.
Posted by: dp | 2008-08-28 1:25:24 PM
Leafy vegetables? Why not something hip and progressive, like soybeans?
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-08-28 1:30:20 PM
"The flag ... should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."
Imagine the headline if they had gathered up all the flags and burned them.
Also from http://www.usflag.org :
"Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties
(a)(1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles ... any flag of the United States shall be fined ... or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both."
Well, McCain better hope Bush pardons him for this: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/photo/2008/01/07/20080107MCCAIN/21403265.JPG
"The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose."
If that includes political ads, then EVERY politician is in trouble!
"The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform...."
Ummm.... Did anyone mention this to the American Olympic Committee?
"The flag should ... not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use."
Does that include icing on cakes that will be eaten? If so, then Bush and McCain should be even more ashamed of celebrating McCain's birthday on the day Katrina hit New Orleans: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/images/20050829-5_p082905pm-0125-515h.html
Let's face it. Flag worship is just plain silly. And strict rules about how one ought to worship a flag are even more silly.
Posted by: Fact Check | 2008-08-28 2:06:09 PM
Fact Check,
It's an image thing. Some guy at RedState is sending around an email with these pictures and some nasty comments about Democrats.
While you're right that flag worship is silly, there are Americans who don't agree (or who don't see it as worship, per se.) Even staunch Democrats admitted this might hurt them on a message board I frequent. Not a lot, but a little.
Hey, a mass burning of flags at the end of the DNC sounds like an awesome idea, any way you slice it. All the Democrats could stand around and look patriotic, the military guys could salute, and so on.
Hm. The resulting photos would probably not capture the magic, though. So maybe you have a point.
Best,
Terrence
Posted by: Terrence Watson | 2008-08-28 2:24:29 PM
Fact Check wrote: "Let's face it. Flag worship is just plain silly. And strict rules about how one ought to worship a flag are even more silly."
Spoken like a true iconoclast. Is there nothing you admire?
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-08-28 2:31:13 PM
Terrence,
"While you're right that flag worship is silly, there are Americans who don't agree (or who don't see it as worship, per se.)"
True dat.
Shane,
"Is there nothing you admire?"
Sure, just not the mindless worship of symbols. But there are lots of things I admire. I admire the lyrics of Rush, for example. Like these lines from "Territories" (1985):
"Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled"
Posted by: Fact Check | 2008-08-28 3:00:53 PM
whoopdee-doo, it's a friggin piece of cloth...
Posted by: Bob Saget | 2008-08-28 4:31:12 PM
I agree that flag worship is silly, but politician/government worship is worse. I wouldn't be offended if we hung both entities from flag poles. I'd even salute a fluttering politician as I walked by.
Posted by: attitude | 2008-08-28 4:32:30 PM
Since there's no such thing as a citizen of the world, Fact Check, the lyrics stand for what they are--wishful thinking or drug-induced delusions. If you can find nothing worthier to admire, no wonder you come off so bitter and alienated.
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-08-28 5:24:03 PM
Bob Saget: "whoopdee-doo, it's a friggin piece of cloth..."
And the Constitution is just a friggin' piece of paper. Are we done being reductionist trolls now?
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2008-08-28 5:25:05 PM
...i agree with Shane. This is not "THE" flag but a bunch of hand helds.
There must be bigger fish to fry in the election than get one's knickers in a knot over it.
Posted by: tomax7 | 2008-08-28 7:37:43 PM
That is so Democrat-like to throw a flag on the floor after it has served its purpose. I don't know many Democrats who actually respect anything, much less a flag.
Go McCain/Palin. (Democrats can't nominate an attractive woman because there are none to be found in the entire party).
RW
Posted by: Ruth Werre | 2008-08-29 9:59:20 AM
God, is this what our country has turned into? A bunch of sensitive pansies .. worried about paper flags? I can't count the times, I've seen torn, weathered, soot stained flags hanging out of the window of some neo-con Hummer.
The flag is not a real thing .. it is just colored fabric .. it has not been imbued with any special magical powers. That's why the call it symbolism. It is a metaphor for God's sake. Please Ruth go read a book or something ..geez
Posted by: Kmuzu | 2008-09-06 11:38:44 AM
"Since there's no such thing as a citizen of the world, Fact Check, the lyrics stand for what they are--wishful thinking or drug-induced delusions. If you can find nothing worthier to admire, no wonder you come off so bitter and alienated."
- My practical hero, Shane Matthews
Yeah, people who hope for a better world are all stupid druggies. Well said.
I mean, its not like were all the same species occupying the same planet or anything. If we were I suppose living peacefully would be a possibility, but why get wrapped up in hypothetical illusions?
The fact is that humans live in DIFFERENT countries. DIFFERENT. Citizen of the world bullshit is just plane doped up crazy. Until terrorists and non-christians (same thing if you ask me) are defeated, we'll never know peace.
Excellent encountering a mind like yours on the internet, there aren't enough of them. I'd write more but O'reilly will be on soon and I've got a fresh baby in the oven.
Posted by: Blowd | 2008-09-06 11:43:11 AM
Perhaps they should go after the "cross burning" issue first. I can never remember if it's Republicans or Democrats doing that sort of thing.
Posted by: glen | 2008-09-06 12:01:45 PM
"That is so Democrat-like to throw a flag on the floor after it has served its purpose. I don't know many Democrats who actually respect anything, much less a flag.
Go McCain/Palin. (Democrats can't nominate an attractive woman because there are none to be found in the entire party)."
-Ruth Weere, comedian
Whoa. Hold up there Ruth. Did I read that right or did you say you KNOW DEMOCRATS?? I'm hoping by "know" you mean a terrorist you saw on tv or a habitat for humanity billboard with a picture of jimmy carter (no capitalization necessary). I suppose its possible that you're a social worker and said democrats are needy children or drug dealers, in which case I admire your bravery.
Now that I've hopefully clarified that for what may have been some shocked readers (I know I was at first) I'll move onto that joke you made. And the truth is, I'm still laughing. It's funny because there are no attractive democrats, and because palin is god! Some liberal on tv brought up how she took the city of Wasilla (pre palin debt zero) and put them 22 million in the hole. WHAT AN ELITIST! Clearly he didn't see the patriotic bikini pictures that I did, or he'd be singing a different tune.
Posted by: Blowd | 2008-09-06 12:03:50 PM
I’ve read several comments about this both here and other sites and there are two obvious perspectives. The republicans revere the flag as a symbol of the country and as such deserves respect. Democrats ridicule the “friggin” thing as just a piece of paper or plastic that’s a mere “party favor.” As my 17 year old son just observed: If that’s all it is, then why have it there in the first place? Obviously the flag to them is nothing more than a prop/toy/tool or some other meaningless object hypocritically displayed to pander to mainstream America.
Posted by: Doug | 2008-09-06 12:37:10 PM
These pictures are obviously photoshopped.
Posted by: dude | 2008-09-06 12:52:53 PM
Let's say that each flag cost the Obama campaign $1.00. That's $12,000 just thrown in the trash when they could have been re-used (recycled) at future events.
That means that 600 small donors (at $20 each) are left thinking that the Obama campaign has money to burn - or in other words - has 12000 flags to discard.
Posted by: s. valenti | 2008-09-06 6:12:04 PM
"I’ve read several comments about this both here and other sites and there are two obvious perspectives. The republicans revere the flag as a symbol of the country and as such deserves respect. Democrats ridicule the “friggin” thing as just a piece of paper or plastic that’s a mere “party favor.” As my 17 year old son just observed: If that’s all it is, then why have it there in the first place? Obviously the flag to them is nothing more than a prop/toy/tool or some other meaningless object hypocritically displayed to pander to mainstream America."
-Doug
Alright, no time to be a smart ass. Idol worship is silly. I treat the flag with respect because I respect my country and the freedoms that come with it. However, freedom isn't too relative (unless were talking freedoms that infringe on the freedoms of others) You and me are free to treat the flag with respect, and other people are free to do with it as they please. Now I like to think that these democrats are as proud of their country as we are because they were waving them as they cheered for their candidate. As far as throwing them out goes... uhhh, they're tiny little novelty flag things, not the full size hang it high and salute guys, were talking party favors. Who doesn't throw those away? Are you honestly telling me that you have either saved or honorably burnt every little flag on a stick that youve accumulated from fourth of july parties, political rallies, and the like?
I saw them being waved at the RNC as well and I highly doubt that every single one was tucked in a pocket with the utmost reverence, taken home, and properly burned.
This whole post is a joke and should be treated as such.
P.S.
Seventeen year olds are clearly excellent with judgment and observations. I'm glad you verified your opinion with the help of such a knowledgeable source. Next time you get in an argument with him, be sure to remember his brilliance.
Posted by: blowd | 2008-09-07 1:04:26 PM
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