Upside-down American flags.

I am new to the forum, as a poster, but not as a reader. I only recently registered, because I only had a hotmail account before. Now I have AOL and was finally able to register on DU.
I have a question though. As a 20 yr Air Force veteran, I am wondering about the intended message of those who post as an avatar, the American flag in and upside-down possition. As you all probably know, that is to indicate "distress". Is that the intent of those who post it? Some of the threads I have read by some of those who use the flag in this position seem more anti-american, than just being distressed about the current leadership of America. Do I have it wrong, or you do love America, but hate the leadership? Is that the message, or is it that America, the country, is bad, wrong, evil, etc. I hope that it is the former, not the latter.
I realize that I am new and must expect to be flamed from time to time, but those of you who give me a chance and read my posts will come to see that I want the best for us all, as a nation. I am willing to listen to all views and able to respond.

Can you finish this quote?

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"My country, right or wrong. If right, to be kept right, if wrong, to be put right." -- Carl Schurz

until you leave it, which is why I have to leave it, because
I have someone who I must look after, not sacrifice in a bloody civil war. So goodbye America, we are looking for the door.

BTW. I think I prefer this attribution, which is on record.
<snip>
"My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."

- Senator Carl Schurtz, in an address to the United States Senate, 1872

"I confidently trust that the American people will prove themselves … too wise not to detect the false pride or the dangerous ambitions or the selfish schemes which so often hide themselves under that deceptive cry of mock patriotism: ‘Our country, right or wrong!’ They will not fail to recognize that our dignity, our free institutions and the peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: ‘Our country—when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right.’”

- Carl Schurz, 1899

</snip>

Sadly, the Party that two generations of my family believed in so much apperantly has decided that it cannot be put right.

http://www.c-span.org/classroom/govt/rwh032804.asp

Don't know about anyone else, but my mother is nothing but a sweetheart when she's drunk.

Surprising to see a Brit suggest that being drunk is a bad thing...

from the current gang of criminal fascists running it. And that is why I use it.

Welcome to DU!!

I have the upside down "distressed" flag flyinig at my home to the chagrin of some of my Repub neighbors. It will be that way for 4 years until we are finished allowing Bush to kill our kids.

signify the distress that this country, my country, is in it's greatest hour of need. We are sliding into a black hole.
It is purely because of distress, not anti-Americanism, although that sounds suspiciously like a "get in line" inquiry than an honest, I just want to know question.

You had it right the first time, it's a distress signal.

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Navy here. We all swore the same oath. :)

I hope this little misunderstanding has been cleared up.

My avatar, on the other hand, is position neutral!

:hi:

Someone started this in response to the vote legitimacy problem and recounts. So, we display the avatar.

We are using it in the distress fashion, IHMO. We love America and what it stands, (stood?) for. Some of us would even say that the Constitution and Bill of Rights are sacred to us.

come back from the dark side

S***w Bush and his evil regime!!

I cannot stand our White House leadership, but I love America.

I would guess that if you've been reading their posts it's pretty obvious that most people here are passionate about wanting to make the country better...they hate what Bush and his pals have done to it. Just my two cents.

I can't answer your question, but it is nice to have you here :)

Welcome aboard!

:toast:

:hi:

:bounce:

and welcome to DU! I was wondering myself about the intention of the avatar, but was unaware that it was a distress signal. Considering that the recent election may have been rigged (i.e. are we a democracy no more?) and the fact that I've heard more than one member of the Republican Party point out that we are actually a Republic, not a Democracy... I would say we are in deep distress.

But I despise the Bush administration and other right-wing republicans because they are leading this country into the wrong direction.

It's a distress signal.

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thanks for your service.

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:eyes:

love America, but hate the leadership to many people seem incapable of this distinction.




You Vote We DECIDE

I have been placing the flag stamps on all my mail upside down for probably a year or more now. My country, and its founding priciples, are clearly in distress due to the actions of those in power. I was really hoping to be able to start using them right side up but, unfortunately, it looks like that won't be happening for at least another 4 years.

Welcome to DU, under_dawg38.

I would prefer something like an upside-down, burning American flag, like at a RATM concert or here:

<http://www.esquilax.com/flag/burn6.html>

America is in serious decline. US dollar appears to be reflecting that on the international marketplace. Bush Fraud II is shifting gears.

trust me, we care more about America than conservatives EVER will. We are VERY DISTRESSED with the way they are trashing America and EVERTHING she means.

Susan
born on Chanute
Air Force brat (Dad 20-year USAF meteorologist)
Air Force veteran (75-79)

distress, which conveys the current status of this once great country. You are on the money in recognizing this objective in our posting this avatar. But many just assume that we are all anti-American, just as the RW radicals claim ALL democrats are anti-patriotic, anti-American, and even treasonous.

I'd dearly love for those who are so annoyed by this to take note of all the "patriots" who fly their ragged flags on cars and houses until the shreds get up caught under the wheels of countless vehicles, or mired in mud as the winds pick up.

While I respect the flag and love my country and suppport those in uniform whose lives have been placed in danger, (even while I do not support the country's policies which placed them there), those with obseessive devotion to flag and nationalism, might take a bit of time to study the rise and fall of the third reich. Patriotism can not be blind and can not be without question.

Welcome to our latest 20 year vet! We have many here.

that America is in distress. Actually, I've been on this Board almost since it's inception, and that is the first avatar that I have chosen -- which I did after November 2.

i'm not a vet, but my father was an officer, vietnam and 27 year vet of the US army, so to a degree i lived the life.

that said i spent 6 years of my life studying the history of this country in formal education...when i was in middle and high-school up through college and now, i was/am the most voracious reader of all things US history, specifically the new deal/depression era, WW2 and the cold war, it fascinated me...and still does.

we are living in dangerous times, i hope the republic can absorb the terrible choices that our present crop of leaders are inflicting upon it...i do have hope, but...as the others on here have said...i too am distressed.

welcome to DU too.

> Some of the threads I have read by some of those who use the flag in
> this position seem more anti-american, than just being distressed
> about the current leadership of America. Do I have it wrong

Yes. We are all patriots here. We are not all expert communicators, unfortunately. We love our country, but we fear for it.
That mix of emotions can be difficult to convey accurately.

then burning it.