As symbols go, I think that the flag of the United States of America is very near perfection.
There are the 13 red and white stripes, representing the original 13 colonies.
There’s the field of blue with its 50 stars, each representing one of the 50 states.
And the colors? A google search tells me, and I quote: “Red, white, and blue on the American flag symbolize specific values: red for hardiness and valor, white for purity and innocence, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice.”
So that all works very well together.
But in recent years, people have been presenting alternate versions.
One is the so-called thin blue line flag. Although it’s intended to display support for law enforcement, I find it insulting. It’s mostly black and white, with the long stripe under the field of stars colored blue. Often, rather than positive support for the police, it carries a connotation of racism.
There are people who have brought back the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag, with the coiled rattlesnake ready to strike. It’s great historically, but generally says, “I think I’m a patriot just like the men of the American Revolution!” But my assumption is that they are not of that mold.
The same is true of the so-called Pine Tree Flag which displays (of course) a pine tree pointing upwards towards the words, “An Appeal to Heaven.” In addition to a callback to the American Revolution, it also suggests a connection to Christian Nationalism and, by association, white supremacy.
Of course, many people are still displaying the Confederate flag, which serves as a reminder of slavery and racism. They can claim “heritage,” but that’s a past I’d rather not celebrate (but not forget—we must remember history, not whitewash it).
And of course, the worst examples of American flag replacement are the ones that have a certain man’s name and/or image stamped and emblazoned on them. This goes beyond alteration into desecration. Once again, the American flag represents the country and its ideals, not one person above all.
As children, even in a Catholic school, we daily recited a the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, “and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” And we said it in front of the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, the grand old flag. Accept no substitutions. It should tell the world who we are, as Americans.
MUSOFYR 