Thanks for this post Fred. I live in a hard red crazy maga area in Texas, and I really struggle at times to not strangle some of these idiots and their fake ass “patriotism”. But my wife says I can’t strangle anyone, so I try to ignore them and do little things to help the dem party here. I fly my US flag next to my Ukrainian flag.
Thank you Fred. For a number of years now I have resisted the urge to say the pledge or to sing the anthem. I have been ashamed at what has come to light over my life of 77 years, of what this country has done or caused to have done in other countries, almost all to do with our “interests”; whether or not our actions were in the best interests of those affected. It has not been easy but it has been necessary for my own mental health. As for how I feel since the Orange Asshole was elected, well I could write a book about the part of the country where I’ve lived all my life and how it’s changed; and not for the better. The strength of this country has always been in its people; ALL of them. It was always for the common good; not for the good of the few rich enough to afford the better(See Robert Reich’s Substack messages on ‘The Common Good’). Many have made a radical detour from the common good and have been successful in splitting up, scaring and dividing neighbors. This is not good for anyone. It’s not healthy for the country. I want to live long enough to see the retribution guy die, preferably in prison but I’d settle for his demise by Magats finally seeing him for the demented little worm he really is. That would work too.
I completely understand your feelings. I am a Navy Veteran and our national anthem also makes me teary when I hear it and I also give it the utmost respect it deserves when I hear it. I would have flipped out at that festival seeing the things you did. As I'm typing this I'm still shaking my head in disgust. I also pray every day and night that this country and its citizens will find our way back to having proper pride for our country and national anthem without it being tainted by the terrorists in politicians clothing.
As a fellow Missourian I am disappointed by all of the people in our state who should certainly know better by now. They are supposed to be part of the Show Me State. Don’t know how much more they need to see about this POS to stop supporting him. Of course, they would be greatly offended if you point out they are in a cult. They also keep a lot of state offices filled with people just as bad.
Trump has highjacked and rebranded our symbols of national identity. It’s been effective. How was this accepted at a public event? Because there are not enough World War Two veterans left to stomp those fascists into the pavement.
Excellent piece. As a fellow Kirkwoodian, I’m curious if the festival was there, along the downtown stretch of Kirkwood Rd perhaps? I’ve never served so I can only imagine the visceral reaction you had to the singing of our anthem. Both my parents served in WWII, Mom was a captain in Army nurse corps (is that what it was called?), she served in England. Dad was fresh out of dental school and served at Ft. Knox, where they met and married. She outranked him as she made captain before he did.
I love this post. You're right, we need to keep the flag representing freedom and patriotism in the truest form, not the nationalist agenda. I've refused to allow their perverse sense of "patriotism" dull my own sense of pride in my father's service, in what the flag represents, and in what our nation IS as a beacon for freedom and democracy. "History doesn't repeat, it rhymes" and I'm terrified at how the behaviors and tendencies of the MAGA movement, seems so similar to pre-1939 Germany. Keep sharing your feelings and insight. We need your words, even when they sound a bit like Steve Schmidt. :)
This made me cry, so beautifully stated. My partner and I have had this conversation many times, as we live in a community where flying the flag is synonymous with MAGA. It's time to take back our flag, the words "patriot" and "American" and stop using national symbols to beat others not in agreement with a flawed philosophy over the head.
I'm glad that you differentiated between patriotism and nationalism and yes, everything the modern incarnation of the MAGA Republican Party stands for screams out "NATIONALISM" (just listen to the words of the Former Guy, or Stephen Miller, etc., if you don't agree). It's infuriating.
Actually, patriotism is itself a form of idolatry. So I don't pledge allegiance to the flag or sing the national anthem. It is, after all, a British drinking song with lyrics by someone who criticized slavery but also enslaved other human beings.
Thanks for the excellent idea of adding a flag. I think I’ll do a Ukraine myself. I also bought a hat with “Veterans for Biden Harris 2024.” It’s low key unlike those damned red hats but some people look. At least they know those Mango Mussolini followers cannot take all of our symbols away. It’s infuriating!!! Somebody mentioned that the WWII veterans would never have put up with this crap. That’s a fact. I wrote to the GOP in my very blue State of CT asking why I would vote for them. All I got was negative, nasty crap in response. And that was a State - not National election I asked about. Just disgusting. Phhhht!
Thanks for this post Fred. I live in a hard red crazy maga area in Texas, and I really struggle at times to not strangle some of these idiots and their fake ass “patriotism”. But my wife says I can’t strangle anyone, so I try to ignore them and do little things to help the dem party here. I fly my US flag next to my Ukrainian flag.
Thank you Fred. For a number of years now I have resisted the urge to say the pledge or to sing the anthem. I have been ashamed at what has come to light over my life of 77 years, of what this country has done or caused to have done in other countries, almost all to do with our “interests”; whether or not our actions were in the best interests of those affected. It has not been easy but it has been necessary for my own mental health. As for how I feel since the Orange Asshole was elected, well I could write a book about the part of the country where I’ve lived all my life and how it’s changed; and not for the better. The strength of this country has always been in its people; ALL of them. It was always for the common good; not for the good of the few rich enough to afford the better(See Robert Reich’s Substack messages on ‘The Common Good’). Many have made a radical detour from the common good and have been successful in splitting up, scaring and dividing neighbors. This is not good for anyone. It’s not healthy for the country. I want to live long enough to see the retribution guy die, preferably in prison but I’d settle for his demise by Magats finally seeing him for the demented little worm he really is. That would work too.
Wonderful, Article. We fly our flag right above our Black Lives Matter sign. We too are so tired of MAGA taking our patriotic symbols.
I completely understand your feelings. I am a Navy Veteran and our national anthem also makes me teary when I hear it and I also give it the utmost respect it deserves when I hear it. I would have flipped out at that festival seeing the things you did. As I'm typing this I'm still shaking my head in disgust. I also pray every day and night that this country and its citizens will find our way back to having proper pride for our country and national anthem without it being tainted by the terrorists in politicians clothing.
As a fellow Missourian I am disappointed by all of the people in our state who should certainly know better by now. They are supposed to be part of the Show Me State. Don’t know how much more they need to see about this POS to stop supporting him. Of course, they would be greatly offended if you point out they are in a cult. They also keep a lot of state offices filled with people just as bad.
Absolutely on target! Thanks for posting.
Trump has highjacked and rebranded our symbols of national identity. It’s been effective. How was this accepted at a public event? Because there are not enough World War Two veterans left to stomp those fascists into the pavement.
Excellent piece. As a fellow Kirkwoodian, I’m curious if the festival was there, along the downtown stretch of Kirkwood Rd perhaps? I’ve never served so I can only imagine the visceral reaction you had to the singing of our anthem. Both my parents served in WWII, Mom was a captain in Army nurse corps (is that what it was called?), she served in England. Dad was fresh out of dental school and served at Ft. Knox, where they met and married. She outranked him as she made captain before he did.
Greentree Festival.
I love this post. You're right, we need to keep the flag representing freedom and patriotism in the truest form, not the nationalist agenda. I've refused to allow their perverse sense of "patriotism" dull my own sense of pride in my father's service, in what the flag represents, and in what our nation IS as a beacon for freedom and democracy. "History doesn't repeat, it rhymes" and I'm terrified at how the behaviors and tendencies of the MAGA movement, seems so similar to pre-1939 Germany. Keep sharing your feelings and insight. We need your words, even when they sound a bit like Steve Schmidt. :)
This made me cry, so beautifully stated. My partner and I have had this conversation many times, as we live in a community where flying the flag is synonymous with MAGA. It's time to take back our flag, the words "patriot" and "American" and stop using national symbols to beat others not in agreement with a flawed philosophy over the head.
I'm glad that you differentiated between patriotism and nationalism and yes, everything the modern incarnation of the MAGA Republican Party stands for screams out "NATIONALISM" (just listen to the words of the Former Guy, or Stephen Miller, etc., if you don't agree). It's infuriating.
Actually, patriotism is itself a form of idolatry. So I don't pledge allegiance to the flag or sing the national anthem. It is, after all, a British drinking song with lyrics by someone who criticized slavery but also enslaved other human beings.
Thanks for the excellent idea of adding a flag. I think I’ll do a Ukraine myself. I also bought a hat with “Veterans for Biden Harris 2024.” It’s low key unlike those damned red hats but some people look. At least they know those Mango Mussolini followers cannot take all of our symbols away. It’s infuriating!!! Somebody mentioned that the WWII veterans would never have put up with this crap. That’s a fact. I wrote to the GOP in my very blue State of CT asking why I would vote for them. All I got was negative, nasty crap in response. And that was a State - not National election I asked about. Just disgusting. Phhhht!