flag everywhere, like they owned it and it was for them. Today, the flag has often been used/associated with the hatefulness in the US. The underbelly of hatred and racism that Trump promotes. It's damn disgusting.

I guess I'm just tired of allowing the RW to decide what our country's most powerful symbol stands for. We shouldn't think in terms of burning the flag (or desecration in some manner) to demonstrate our disgust of the right. We are the majority, damn it! It should be our symbol. Let the deplorables burn the flag instead of us. That would be a fitting metaphor.

There, I paraphrased it to account for contemporary terminology.

Their game is to just pay lip service to both and claim the high ground. That is why lying is acceptable these days.

They are the most hateful, bitter racists but apparently God is a republican. I have been told I'm going to burn in hell because I'm a Democrat!

are horrific and despicable creatures.

Mixing religion with patriotism serves to strengthen faith in both. I don't think it would be easy to extract the flag-as-symbol from the RW for our own use because doing so would be seen as a challenge to their religious beliefs. I do think it is necessary, though. Where do you suppose the idea of fundamental xtianity as the guiding principal in legislation comes from? Conveniently, the separation of church and state has been overlooked by the RW for decades.

It's about the appearance of being patriotic. They want everyone to know it. Just like the over the top "Thank you for your service" folks. They care more about you knowing they appreciate the military than they actually care about the military <or> it's member/vets.

There is only cruelty and hate behind identifying groups of people as a problem. This celebration of superiority based on stereotypes is a mistake because it eliminates all credibility of pretense of being on higher ground. Hate is hate.

when they gather together in large groups to feel safe (like sheep).

That's why, on historical holidays, I fly historical US flags instead of the current 50-star version.

I love our country's flag. I grew up loving our flag. It sickens me that fascist assholes have taken to co-opting the flag for their own white supremacy movement, since I share none of their values, and since none of them can seem to be bothered with taking the tattered, road-grime stained banner out of the backs of their pickup trucks.

So I fly the 48-state version, which was in effect when my grandfather was fighting the Nazis in World War II...



Or, my favorite, the Bennington Flag, which evokes the Spirit of '76...



The flag is a symbol for what you believe in. If someone takes your symbol away and is able to make it their own, find another one that better represents what you are all about.

I bet you've seen those monster sized flags, maybe 30'X50'? It can't be easy to take them down or put them up, so they just leave them up till they are destroyed. That always bothered me because the whole point of flying that huge flag was to attract business.

This, however, is worse because it turns our country's values on their heads.

I know what you are saying about finding a different symbol. Yes, that makes sense. I'm still going to be pissed off that our original symbol was co-opted for nefarious purposes.

"Shop American; Cars Here" is the message.

It has nothing to do with what the flag actually means.

So find another American flag that represents what is important to you, and fly it.