Will you fly an American flag on July 4th?

[dwayneb]

I never thought at any point in my life that I would not consider flying my American flag on Memorial and Veteran's Day and on July 4th.

But this year it is becoming clear to me that the country that so many fought and died for, and that I viewed with pride and joy for my entire life, is destined to become just another chapter in the long history of failed attempts at democracy.

I feel especially bitter when I think about all of my relatives that went to Europe in WWII to stop the Nazis, that set the stage for a half century of progress for everyone, and those that fought in all the other armed conflicts along the way. The ChristoFascists and the Radical Right that are essentially opening their arms to neo-Fascism today are violating the memory of those soldiers, and I will never, ever forgive them for that.

So next week I have a decision to make. Will I fly my flag? If I do, will that flag represent freedom or will it represent fascism?

I'm not sure yet.

[Hassler]

1. Or fly it upside down.

[Backseat Driver]

10. Under cover of age, I no longer, since long before TFG, pledge, nor stand

for its passing in review, heart over hand. Ummm...yeah - I got issues!

[electric_blue68]

2. Depending on how many RWs live near you (I want you and your home safe) u might fly it upside down.

🤔 I put an upside down flag in my window after something really bad happened but Our apt building in the back part was high up on a hill looking out over rooftops.

[dwayneb]

13. I live in the heart of darkness

They aren't the sort of Trumpers (for the most part) that would burn my house down, but there is no doubt that it's a risk.

I think I'd rather not fly it at all than fly it upside down. When I think about all the battles in WWII on land and sea where that flag was flying proudly, right-side up, it sickens me to think how the neo-Fascists have perverted and violated the meaning of our flag.

[electric_blue68]

22. hooo, boy! brooklynite made the same point. I see it as a call of distress since...

that's what it is.

Not that it hasn't been before, but this action is so far reaching, and up ending.

[beaglelover]

3. I don't own one or have a flag pole so no.

[brooklynite]

4. That attitude is a huge problem.

What you're saying is that the conservatives and the fringe represent the entire country. That there's nothing to appreciate or celebrate about the country. And when you give up the flag, you hand it to the conservatives to claim that THEY'RE the patriotic ones.

[dwayneb]

16. Maybe

That's the inner debate I am having.

Of course the Radical Right does not represent the entire country. They just CONTROL the entire country, the tyranny of the minority.

Where I live here in rural Ohio, there's not a lot to celebrate. After Trump rose to power, I am watching this region devolve to pretty much what it was when I was growing up in the 60's - racism and bigotry are springing up again, stronger than ever.

It's becoming "great" again in a sickeningly familiar way.

[VGNonly]

5. Hang it upside down.

National symbol of distress!

[Freddie]

6. I never do

Haven’t since TFG was “elected”.
Saw a suggestion that women wear black on 7/4. I’m in.

[Novara]

25. Wear black on 7/4? I'm in.

[Deep State Witch]

7. No

My husband for some reason LOOOOOVES fireworks. We have to go to the fireworks every year, because he's secretly a 9-year-old boy trapped in a 59-year-old man's body. I told him this year that we are NOT going, because I don't want to celebrate an America that treats women and minorities like second class citizens.

[VarryOn]

8. I put ours up on Flag Day (6/14) and will leave it up...

Until at least July 4.

[Emile]

9. The only day I fly my flag is the day

after the presidential election when the democrat candidate wins!

[we can do it]

11. No

[AlexSFCA]

12. yes, why not. Real patriots support reproductive freedom for all

[Timeflyer]

14. Who would have thought

Who would have thought we'd see Americans using the US flag as a weapon, to attack the US Capitol Jan. 6. Those images have tainted our flag for me. I jumped around and waved the flag after Biden & Harris got elected. But now? Guess we need to reclaim it, but the Trumpuglicans have wrapped their guns and bible in it so much that it needs cleaning.

[dwayneb]

24. This is exactly what I mean

These sewer dwellers have desecrated our flag.

In the end I am sure I will fly mine, if nothing else for consistency. I guess I am becoming an old creaker, I don't like change.

If nothing else it can be flown in memorial of those that saved us from the Nazis in WWII. Of course those soldiers never dreamed that the real threat to our freedom would one day come from inside our very own country.

[Dave in VA]

15. I fly one every day

and have for all of my adult life. House would feel naked with out on on the front of my home.

[634-5789]

17. Nope. Never have, never will.

[Novara]

21. Me neither

And it's the same reason I left religion years ago and became an atheist: I can't stomach the blatant hypocrisy.

[Ritabert]

31. Same here. Left the church 50 years ago

[Ritabert]

30. Never have, never will.

[Glorfindel]

18. No

[Demsrule86]

19. Yes I will. It is my country and I will not cede it to the unwashed loser rightwing.

[Kaleva]

20. I fly one every day

[Jirel]

23. Hell no.

I already wasn’t flying one or putting up bunting for the 4th during the Dump years. Now, I will only fly Ukrainian, BLM, rainbow, and/or reproductive rights flags.

[dwayneb]

27. Those are good alternatives

I have always flown our flag in memorial of those that fought and died for our freedoms. It was never to represent my allegiance to a scumsucker like Trump.

[NewHendoLib]

26. I've never flown a flag. I know in which country I live.

[sinkingfeeling]

28. I haven't flown one since the day the US invaded Iraq.

[Ocelot II]

29. Not this year.

[PortTack]

32. NOPE!

[ChazII]

33. Yes. n/t

[Iggo]

34. I haven't flown an American flag since shortly after 9/11...

…when what I saw became too much for me to stomach, and I declined to further participate in the patriotic circle jerk.

And don’t get me started on those “Thank you for your service” bullshitters.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

35. Yep

It’s up every day.

[Mister Ed]

36. Yes. I won't let the Deplorables take it from us.

I will wear black all day and evening in silent protest.

[Hortensis]

37. Better questions: Will "you" vote for our country?

Will "you" vote in both the primaries and GE? If you do, will "you" vote Democrat to save it?

[Paladin]

38. Not until it's my country, again.

And to you Democrats who still believe that a show of hyper-polite manners will cure what ails this nation at this point in time: Kindly step out of the way. There's some work that needs to be done.

[Boomerproud]

44. Amen.

[dwayneb]

45. Don't disagree - but WHAT work? What's the plan?

We know the end goal, but right now we don't have a road map to achieve it. The bridge too far is of course the 40% to 50% of the American public that don't even bother to vote. We can get Democrats out all day long, we may even flip a few Republicans, but how do we solve the problem of the apathy of the average self-absorbed American?

For the Fascists, their road map is crystal clear; let's be honest, it's a battle plan, and they effectively won a major battle in the war on democracy on January 6, 2021. They will keep expanding the propaganda machine, keep corrupting our election systems, keep spreading the Big Lie, gain control of Congress in 2022 in order to pave the way for a coup if needed in 2024; and then once their chosen autocrat is place in power, proceed to demolish the rule of law right down to the studs.

Many Democrats as you noted don't really comprehend yet that we are indeed at war. In fact, it's the most important war that we have fought since the founding of this country. In many ways the threat that the Radical Right presents to all of us today is greater than the threat that Hitler posed back in the early 1940's. Make no mistake, Trump or DeSantis or their successor will work relentlessly to sort out how to turn the power of the US military/FBI/CIA/Homeland Security against the people. When that happens we will be moving from a war of words to a war in the streets.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

39. Yes

[Bucky]

40. Yes I will. Those fuckers will NOT play claim to our flag

[Elessar Zappa]

41. Yes.

The flag doesn’t belong to Republicans.

[Hugin]

42. Yes, it's not me who is not being an American.

The un-patriotic shithole developing why-we-can’t-have-anything-nice trash are the GrOPpers.

[kacekwl]

43. I flew the flag mostly every day until

trump was "elected". When he lost it went back up again. I'm angered about many things this country does but in my mind the absolute worst was allowing trump to foul the White House. I fear for the future of America but hopefully we have learned a lesson from trump and fascist Republicans.

[Takket]

46. i'm definetly not feeling it this year.........

[dwayneb]

47. Thanks for the thoughtful and interesting replies

It is appreciated.