My wife and I took a much-needed weekend vacation last Saturday. We're members of the Society for Creative Anachronism and Saturday an old friend of ours was being crowned King.
We had a chance to see a number of old friends and make some new ones, but what I want to talk about here is what happened Sunday morning.
A couple of our old friends invited us to join them for brunch, and we sat and talked (probably longer than the restaurant staff would have liked) until it was time to head our separate ways. As David and I started out, I glanced into the kitchen. There, wadded up on the counter, was a very large American flag.
Nudging David, I asked "Does that irritate you as much as it does me?"
As he answered in the affirmative, I asked "Why is it people say we liberals hate America?"
We continued to discuss the matter for a fee minutes. Some of my friends are bemused by my "inconsistency" in being a stickler for proper flag code and etiquette, yet still defending the free speech rights of flag burners. David articulated it much better than I ever have; even flag burning respects the power of the symbol, but the kind of thoughtless disrespect we had just seen was plain boorishness.
It's hard, sometimes, to hold up. I love my country, even when small-mindedness makes me cringe (e.g.; Bill O'Reilly's current obsession with illegal immigrants) and I love the flag as a symbol of America's highest ideals and aspirations. And I'm damned sick and tired of people telling me I don't love my country if I don't support the President and his tragic follies, especially when those people largely ignore or disregard their own lack of respect.
I know this is small potatoes, especially after the horrific events in Blacksburg Monday, but I have to say it feels good to have gotten it off my chest.