News Who's sick of seeing all those flags everywhere?

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The discussion centers around the prevalence of American flags displayed in various contexts, particularly post-9/11. Participants express mixed feelings about this trend, with some viewing it as a form of patriotism and unity, while others criticize it as superficial or a mere attempt to conform. There is acknowledgment that many people began displaying flags as a reaction to national crises, and some participants argue that this reflects a genuine sense of security and support for the military. However, others contend that the excessive display of flags can lead to a sense of exclusion or racial bias regarding who is considered "American." The conversation also touches on the idea that symbols like flags can be misinterpreted or overused, leading to a disconnect between true patriotism and performative displays. Additionally, there are concerns about the commercialization and misuse of flags, including comparisons to other national symbols. Overall, the thread highlights the complexities of national identity, patriotism, and the significance of symbols in American culture.

sick and tired of all the flags everywhere?

  • Yes, I'm sick of them

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • No, I have flags everywhere too

    Votes: 5 35.7%

  • I don't care either way

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • I'm a moron and have no clue whatsoever

    Votes: 2 14.3%
  • Total voters
    14
  • #31
You don't need a flag to love ones country. And i think it is very sad to hear about the majority of the flags being put up after 9/11. but i think it is even sadder to hear about how a man in england was told that he had to take down his flag because an ethnic group said the St Georges Cross was racist. the St georges cross is the English National Flag and is a white backgound with a Red Cross through it just incase any of you didnt know what that looked like.
 
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  • #32
Originally posted by Andy
i think it is even sadder to hear about how a man in england was told that he had to take down his flag because an ethnic group said the St Georges Cross was racist. the St georges cross is the English National Flag and is a white backgound with a Red Cross through it just incase any of you didnt know what that looked like.
What was the basis for claiming it was racist?
 
  • #33
A similar case was on TV, although it was twisted in another way.

A veteran of war, who happened to be the only man in his regiment (hope that was the right word. forgive me, its late wher I live so I may have typed the wrong word) to live through the war, bought a large house in a nice neighborhood, and he had signed a contract to not place certain things on his front lawn. But flag poles and flags were not mentioned. He asked about it to make sure, and was told it would be fine. When he put a flag pole up on his lawn along with pictures flowers, and other things on his lawn in memory of his comrades, he was told to take his flag pole and its enormous flag down. Many people in his neighborhood fought with him because they liked the flag, and he was right; there was no violation. However, although this was clear, the supreme court forced him to take it down, and the contracts he signed have been changed saying that flagpoles (such as the one he had) are now prohibited and that your flag and flag pole must be a certain size.

There was clearly no violation and, I'll be blunt: What the hell?
 
  • #34
ok to add to this thread subject, I'm also sick and tired of all those stupid bumper stickers with dumbass slogans like "these colors don't run" and the perennial favorites, "god bless america" and "united we stand." give it a rest folks, we get the point.
 
  • #35
Originally posted by Shadow
A similar case was on TV, although it was twisted in another way.

A veteran of war, who happened to be the only man in his regiment (hope that was the right word. forgive me, its late wher I live so I may have typed the wrong word) to live through the war, bought a large house in a nice neighborhood, and he had signed a contract to not place certain things on his front lawn. But flag poles and flags were not mentioned. He asked about it to make sure, and was told it would be fine. When he put a flag pole up on his lawn along with pictures flowers, and other things on his lawn in memory of his comrades, he was told to take his flag pole and its enormous flag down. Many people in his neighborhood fought with him because they liked the flag, and he was right; there was no violation. However, although this was clear, the supreme court forced him to take it down, and the contracts he signed have been changed saying that flagpoles (such as the one he had) are now prohibited and that your flag and flag pole must be a certain size.

There was clearly no violation and, I'll be blunt: What the hell?

Perhaps this became a practical matter? At some point it could be dangerous. Other such limits apply to commercial ventures as well. For example, service stations on highways used to put up signs the height of Redwood trees. Limits were set, really due to eyesore complaints I think.
 
  • #36
quote:
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ok to add to this thread subject, I'm also sick and tired of all those stupid bumper stickers with dumbass slogans like "these colors don't run" and the perennial favorites, "god bless america" and "united we stand." give it a rest folks, we get the point
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I don't see anything bad about these. In my opinion it is better to remember september 11th and all the fighting that has happened since then. If we forget we will be in the same situation we were in September 10th, 2001. Not a care in the world and forgetting what the country stands for. At least now we ARE united and can at least show the world where the United States gets its name and what it stands for.



quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perhaps this became a practical matter? At some point it could be dangerous. Other such limits apply to commercial ventures as well. For example, service stations on highways used to put up signs the height of Redwood trees. Limits were set, really due to eyesore complaints I think.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Yes I could see a problem in that case but this flag pole wasnt even close to that large. And like I believe I said, there were no complaints and quite a few people took a liking to the flag.
 
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  • #37
America isn't 'united' in the way people would like to believe, and putting an untruth on a bumper sticker doesn't make it true.
 
  • #38
Originally posted by russ_watters
What was the basis for claiming it was racist?

Sorry for not replying ealier, i think that the only people that complained where a small group of ethnic minorities don't know why but somehow they claimed it was racist, and because this countries government is so spineless they banned the flag claiming that they didnt want to cause any tension between the communities i can understand them not wanting to create tension between the communities but if this is so why do they allow the Ethnic groups to put up their flags in windows and always have their different religions and beleives chucked in our (the english) face.

I do hope you all believe me when i say i am not racist, i have had many friends who are from an ethnic background, but i am sick to death of the ethnic communities doing what they want and then calling it racism whenever they are told that they can't do something.
 
  • #39
America isn't 'united' in the way people would like to believe, and putting an untruth on a bumper sticker doesn't make it true.

Really. How do you come to that conclusion? A few years ago I might agree with that however, times have changed and although recently things have gotten a bit rocky with this Democrat vs Republican business, I don't see a "Civil War II" coming up, and I see things improved from where they were before september 11th so, I think we can at least look at that as a sign of unity.
 
  • #40
Originally posted by Andy
I do hope you all believe me when i say i am not racist...
Don't sweat it, I'm not that short sighted.

There is a case in New Jersey (ugh) right now where a community organization (a group of rich people living near each other) is trying to make a guy take down a POW/MIA flag he has hanging under an American flag in his front yard. Ugh.
 
  • #41
I actually really like seeing the american flag everywhere.. and it was already everywhere before 9/11 so I don't think it was mainly that event that caused the trend.

The only thing I really DONT like is how Americans are abusing the Dutch flag! Everywhere I can see the Dutch flag hanging out, mainly at small businesses for decoration.. for those who don't know: the dutch flag is horizontally striped red white and blue. Somehow it is adopted as a simplified American flag.. not right, at all.
 
  • #42
I actually really like seeing the american flag everywhere.. and it was already everywhere before 9/11 so I don't think it was mainly that event that caused the trend.

There weren't that many flags up before 9/11... not where I live. Most came up after 9/11. Just in case you are wondering, I live in New York.
 
  • #43
Oh, I haven't been in NY since that time..
 
  • #44
Originally posted by Windy
If you ever become ashamed of people hanging out flags, then you should leave the US if you have not done so already.

Patriotism is a vital part of any country that wishes to be stable.

Uh...ok, what does a piece of cloth have to do with being a good citizen?
 
  • #45
So no comments on Americans abusing or misusing the Dutch flag huh?

Does anyone have a number where I can reach Mr President? I guess I'll have to go a level higher if I want to make a difference.. or just manually start taking down all those flags
 
  • #46
So no comments on Americans abusing or misusing the Dutch flag huh?

Monigue I agree with you, but abusing is the wrong word, you should just leave it at misusing. I think abusing would be if people started destroying flags. So yes, misusing is the right word.
 
  • #47
Originally posted by Monique
So no comments on Americans misusing the Dutch flag huh?

Does anyone have a number where I can reach Mr President? I guess I'll have to go a level higher if I want to make a difference.. or just manually start taking down all those flags

*edit* misusing
 
  • #48
Originally posted by Monique
*So no comments on Americans misusing the Dutch flag huh?

Does anyone have a number where I can reach Mr President? I guess I'll have to go a level higher if I want to make a difference.. or just manually start taking down all those flags

You know, Monique, I have never seen the dutch flag used in the manner you described. Maybe, I've just not noticed because it's never been pointed out to me, but really, I can't recall seeing it. I'll have to ask my very Dutch sister-n-law if she's seen this. At any rate, I highly doubt that people who do use it in this manner even realize it's the dutch flag...hmmm..a whole nother bucket of worms.
 
  • #49
Well, they are everywhere. The flag is used for promotional purposes, a short search on the internet for promotional companies selling flags:

http://www.promotional-products.cc/images/flags.gif
http://www.dismar.com/images/PFL001-00s.jpg
http://www.dismar.com/images/PFL178-00s.jpg

And for comparison the dutch flag (very similar to the Luxembourg flag):

http://home-2.tiscali.nl/~cb008513/reizen/img-reizen/vlaggen/nederland-vlag.jpg

from website:

http://home-2.tiscali.nl/~cb008513/reizen/reizen.htm

One of my friends was actually very excited last weekend when we were driving on the freeway and passed by a 'yard' full of sculptures for sale when he saw the flag in the first image all over the place and said: Monique! Those people must be from your country! I visited an art-fair the week before and also encountered the same phenomenon, as well on previous occasions.
 
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  • #50
Oh, have you been to a car dealer lately? They must buy those flags in bulk..
 
  • #51
OK, this website is a REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE of flag abuse:
http://www.qualityflags.com/qf_dept.asp?Cat%5FID=85&web%5Fname=Promotional&MSCSProfile=3C79F0C7EA3162B289A6F3317CC124D84BB12F00F1070B0A7B40A96A960A8B4DBEF2138464EF4B52B0AFB7BD066621EE7C102D093D64E4F25FA6D23A7035591E6FA7AF64FB45AADB0B6D4CBF0B95D0BB208ED396914231B00D96165F7340A212E483968299EE659130FA5AAF7D5903E8CE94331937BB4D4793E4A510C0EE03817B6B6A136C6D21FC

I can understand some of the flags, for instance an Italian flag for pizza, or some of the flags with the native language on it, which can be used for natives of that country.

But you are not going to tell me that 85-90% of people buying promotional flags in the States are Dutch are they?

I will certainly ask the owner of the website if they have an opinion on this matter..
 
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  • #52
Oh, have you been to a car dealer lately? They must buy those flags in bulk..

Monique this must just be your area, I have seen one dutch flag i all of New York and I have been all over the state.
 
  • #53
This is the reply:

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for your interest in Qualityflags.com!

While many of our commercial message flags use red, white, and blue stripes as colors in the flag, we do carry message flags with other alternating colors such as red, white, green, yellow, black, turquoise, and orange. The dimensions of the message flag have a larger white area, whereas the Netherlands flag has equal dimensions of red, white, and blue.

Although we do not manufacture the actual flags, but distribute, I have passed your email on to the vendor that manufactures the flag.

Please let me know if there is anything else that I may help you with.

Have a great day!
Jackie
 

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