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Editorial: Flag pin doesn’t make a patriot
Friday, May 16, 2008
Richard Nixon popularized the practice of wearing an American flag lapel pin nearly four decades ago, as he was repeatedly defending the unwinnable Vietnam War and lying about his role in Watergate. Most American politicians — and citizens — seem to have forgotten this connection, and consider it a sacrilege for a presidential candidate to be without one. But actions speak louder than words, or symbols, and the flag pin unfortunately seems to have become less a symbol of patriotism than one of political pandering. Barack Obama deserves credit for having the courage to spurn the practice during most of his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, calling it a “substitute for true patriotism.” But he reportedly did don one Monday for a speech on veterans and military issues in West Virginia. That fact became the most newsworthy part of the event, which is sad because it indicates the symbol is more important than the substance of what Obama had to say. But it will be even sadder if Obama succumbs to political pressure and drops his principled stand against flag-waving (as it were) on the stump. Indeed, Obama wore the pin again on Tuesday and Wednesday. As columnist Richard Cohen pointed out in his column May 7, Obama has seemed, if nothing else, willing to resist politically popular gimmicks when he knows they aren’t proper solutions. The gas tax holiday that Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain both support is an excellent example. As far as flag pins are concerned, Richard Nixon showed they don’t prove much — certainly not one’s honesty, integrity or love of country. There are far better ways to demonstrate those than a simple piece of jewelry.
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October 11, 2008
12:58 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I am almost (but not quite :-) speechless that this newspaper would sneer at and smear a flag pin. Far from being a "popular gimmick," a flag pin is, in fact, the only "sanctioned" or approved method for a civilian to actually wear the flag. Because the flag itself, transcends mere fabric, it is not to be reproduced on clothing, except in the form of a patch. And those who would wear a patch on their clothing are carefully defined in the flag code.
But I suspect this newspaper would sneer at the flag code too. The flag code goes on to say that a flag pin is a replica of a living flag, and should be worn on the lapel, near the heart.
Would you criticize me for flying the American flag on my porch? Surely not. Please don't criticize me for wearing a flag pin, and don't criticize others. It was not the "wearers" of flag pins who made this an issue to begin with. If you chose to NOT wear a flag pin, or fly a flag at your house, what is that to me?
It is true that we cannot see into the hearts of those who wear a pin, to know if they meet this newspaper's standard of patriotism, but you have indeed demonstrated what is in your heart with this editorial.
10:28 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
It is the principles behind his not wearing the flag pin that is the issue. He will not put his hand on his heart during the pledge of allegiance, while standing next to three other Democrat presidential candidates who do so. His wife has never been proud of this country until people voted for her husband. His paster damns this country and preaches hate. He sends his young daughters to learn their values from such a man. He is friends with an unrepentant terrorist, a founding member of the weather underground, who in the 9/11/01 New York times he was not sorry for the innocent people killed, but wishes they had done more bombings. His comments in San Francisco before a group of radical elitist donors about people who cling to their god and their guns and do not like people that do not look like them were offensive. He was with people that do not like or respect people from small towns, who own guns, or who have faith in god. He was clearly indicating that he is one of them. He basically called millions of hard working patriotic Americans uneducated white trash racists. The principles that prevented his from wearing a flag pin are divisive and disrespectful of millions of Americans. As for his principles on the gas tax holiday, he voted for three times in the Illinois Senate. We need to look at the person wearing or not wearing a flag pin. Both Nixon and Obama were/will be be bad for America.
12:01 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Just about everything in Independent7's post is flat out wrong and/or an intentional lie/misguidance. A few quick examples - it was the national anthem, not the pledge of allegiance, and they were facing a singer, not the flag. The supposed hate speech of Wright was quoting Fox News (whose right wing slant is enough to make anybody want to damn America). The loose definition of "unrepentant terrorist" used would have to include George Bush and John McCain, and anyone else who supports the killing of innocent civilians in Iraq. So by that definition, Independent7 is saying that millions of hard working patriotic Americans support terrorism and terrorists by voting for a terrorist to lead our country; twice. At least that's how I read it.
4:53 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Being patriotic is like saying you are a christian, you have to wear your beleif in your heart not on your lapel and as to being a christian, wear your christianity in your heart , not on your shirt sleeve to take off when you would.
12:56 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Journalists are by nature and practice liberals. Liberals are believers in multinationalism which patriots deplore. Anyone remember Billy Bob Job, Mrs. Bill Clinton's husband who put our troops under the blue helmuts of the United Nations? That's what at the heart of this. It's the beginning of the propoganda war for the Obama era.
11:48 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Someone just made this video about Obama... I thought it was a better answer than my own to Independent7's rant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dljboY5t2...