Contributions on the state of the state, the state of the nation, and the state of people and things stateless.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Patriotic Paradox #12,374
While the House of Representatives has sought to make the burning of the flag of the U.S.A. unconstitutional, Jessica Simpson can wear a cut-up version of the flag as a string bikini. It is considered not just patriotic, but a great reason to "be American."
It actually used to be considered very bad taste, even offensive to "wear" the flag as it is now. Things changed after 9/11 and it was everywhere. Instead of being wrong it became "patriotic", while I tend to think it's jingoistic.
I never understood what is the meaning of this piece of colored cloth, and why so much mythology is created around it. If this law passes I think the dissidents need to print it on toilet paper to say what they want to say by burning it... then the supreme court needs to make that illegal as well. Burning flag is expressing an idea: when it is banned it finds its way from somewhere else to reappear again. The best solution for this flag-worshippers is stop the causes of the hatred towards America. Maybe they should stop sending troops to the other parts of the world. Maybe they should stop supporting the racist regime of Israel. Maybe they have to stop social injustices here at home.
Luis Bunuel narrates an anecdote about "flag" in his memoir "My Last Sigh". He says on his way to the US he was on a ship. One morning he was drinking soda and talking to his friend when for some reason the France's National anthem was played on the radio. Everybody on the ship stood up and put his hand on his heart. Bunuel and his friend didn't. The kept drinking their soda with their feet on the table. Somebody told them "What you do is act of an idiot." Bunuel answers " I don't think there is any act more idiotic than respecting 'national anthems.'"
Anyway, I do feel the same way about flags as well... and I should say I prefer them as bikini!
3 comments:
10-4 good buddy!
It actually used to be considered very bad taste, even offensive to "wear" the flag as it is now. Things changed after 9/11 and it was everywhere. Instead of being wrong it became "patriotic", while I tend to think it's jingoistic.
I never understood what is the meaning of this piece of colored cloth, and why so much mythology is created around it.
If this law passes I think the dissidents need to print it on toilet paper to say what they want to say by burning it... then the supreme court needs to make that illegal as well. Burning flag is expressing an idea: when it is banned it finds its way from somewhere else to reappear again.
The best solution for this flag-worshippers is stop the causes of the hatred towards America. Maybe they should stop sending troops to the other parts of the world. Maybe they should stop supporting the racist regime of Israel. Maybe they have to stop social injustices here at home.
Luis Bunuel narrates an anecdote about "flag" in his memoir "My Last Sigh". He says on his way to the US he was on a ship. One morning he was drinking soda and talking to his friend when for some reason the France's National anthem was played on the radio. Everybody on the ship stood up and put his hand on his heart. Bunuel and his friend didn't. The kept drinking their soda with their feet on the table. Somebody told them "What you do is act of an idiot." Bunuel answers " I don't think there is any act more idiotic than respecting 'national anthems.'"
Anyway, I do feel the same way about flags as well... and I should say I prefer them as bikini!
I guess burning Jessica Simpson while she's wearing a bikini flag would be frowned on as well...
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