Eugene Volokh had an op-ed in today's WSJ, flogging Barack Obama for his recent statement about ditching the by-now-obligatory flag lapel pin. I had noticed with approval Obama's decision when it first made the news, and I should have posted a sign of my support about it then. But I didn't, probably because I find it easier to criticize than to compliment.
Roy took Volokh down in his usual smart way (read: better than I ever could) over on alicublog, so I'll not go on at length about the op-ed. Here's what I added in the comments under Roy's post:
It's sad to hear Volokh say things like this. I only know him from BloggingHeads and an occasionallylook at his blog, but he'd previously struck me as smarter than this.
That stupid flag lapel pin has driven me crazy since about, oh, September 21, 2001. It's a meaningless and shallow statement, precisely equivalent to a yellow "ribbon" magnetic thing saying "Support Our Troops." It's only significant to mouth-breathers who look for its absence.
Actually, it's worse than that. Most people who puff their chests out to show you their stupid lapel pin are actually the ones doing the most to destroy the really important things that our flag stands for. Or at least, once did.
Obama's decision only makes me like him better.
[Too bad I didn't see my bad adverb until now. And, actually ...]
Last century, my sister MK argued with me when I expressed impatience about some other instance of ritualistic flag waving. She said that we shouldn't let the other side claim the flag for their own, that it was ours, too, and we shouldn't surrender its use as a symbol. It was a good enough point to shut me up then.
In the abstract, her point may still have merit. But day-to-day, lately, here in reality? The flag -- as a symbol -- is mostly offensive to me. Maybe we need a new one.
No comments:
Post a Comment