Jill Lawrence: Another Patriotic Holiday, Another Day of Liberal Flag-Avoidance Syndrome
[Jill Lawrence is a PoliticsDaily.com columnist and former national political correspondent for USA Today. She has also written about politics for The Associated Press, The Boston Globe, The Atlanta Constitution and other publications.]
Once again on a patriotic holiday, only two flags flew on my block, and it breaks my heart. What is it about liberals that makes so many so disinclined to embrace patriotic symbols, to show the world that they care?
My block is in upper Northwest Washington, D.C., a beating heart of liberal America. On the Fourth of July, as usual, one flag was flown by a couple who had long government careers in defense and science. The other was at my house.
For many years the only flag enthusiast in our household was my husband, a Southerner who served in the army during the Vietnam era. His devotion – he has never missed a holiday – was slightly embarrassing to me. I loved my country, but I wanted to perfect it. I went into journalism in hopes of improving it. Mine was a somewhat querulous love. It certainly wasn't overt or emotional....
I spent the year of 2001 doing research into the "two Americas" revealed in the 2000 election and gained an understanding of why some people don't like to put up flags. To them it signals not patriotism but nationalism. The displays remind them of Germany under Hitler, and, inevitably, the relatives they lost in Europe. In other cases, flying flags is just not something that people do. It wasn't a family custom when they were growing up, and it doesn't mean much to them now....
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Once again on a patriotic holiday, only two flags flew on my block, and it breaks my heart. What is it about liberals that makes so many so disinclined to embrace patriotic symbols, to show the world that they care?
My block is in upper Northwest Washington, D.C., a beating heart of liberal America. On the Fourth of July, as usual, one flag was flown by a couple who had long government careers in defense and science. The other was at my house.
For many years the only flag enthusiast in our household was my husband, a Southerner who served in the army during the Vietnam era. His devotion – he has never missed a holiday – was slightly embarrassing to me. I loved my country, but I wanted to perfect it. I went into journalism in hopes of improving it. Mine was a somewhat querulous love. It certainly wasn't overt or emotional....
I spent the year of 2001 doing research into the "two Americas" revealed in the 2000 election and gained an understanding of why some people don't like to put up flags. To them it signals not patriotism but nationalism. The displays remind them of Germany under Hitler, and, inevitably, the relatives they lost in Europe. In other cases, flying flags is just not something that people do. It wasn't a family custom when they were growing up, and it doesn't mean much to them now....