Ragged Old Flag
One of my all-time favorite photos of Americana. I almost think that Johnny Cash is telling something that he doesn't want you to forget. If you ever heard the song, you learn that no matter what this country does, good or bad, win or lose, right or wrong, the flag is what it was done for. It was done for us, whether we agree or not.
I write this latest edition of my running Observations series with a bit of caution and some defensiveness. You might see some of my "wit" that I hear about from you, my small audience. I started this blog page here on Blogger because it was mainly something different to do. Well it really wasn't different as there are millions of people writing millions of blogs that go anywhere the writer feels like taking you. Still as technology changes and gets easier (writing and editing code for these pages sucks) we Americans, and World Citizens can be armchair publishers or photo journalists or critics with opinions. And its the opinions where topics can get heated responses or retorts. This is where I take this latest edition.
There are tons of political commentaries all over the blogosphere. Some are quite good and some are quite terrible. The good ones come from all sides. You see there are no both sides. I came to the realization this afternoon after remembering a discussion at a drunken poker game last night. Suddenly after the third beer and the shot Crown Royal, we turned political. And it got heated and it was all about Bush's reaction to the Tsunami. I started to get involved as I do here in blogger world, when I comment on other people's thoughts; I mean, that's what you are supposed to do right?. And 5 or so minutes into it I froze. I wondered what the hell I was doing? I had pocket 7's and I was folding? Folding to get involved with the subject matter. My good friend was talking passionately and I was not making good decisions. Why? Because I disagreed with him. I made a mistake in my own situation because I chose to get involved. And guess what? I lost out on the big pot and the big chance to improve my own standing on that poker table. I was defending Bush.... "Oh the horror!"
This last election turned this country into a mess. We are so polarized in our convictions. "But wait, Steve, didn't you just say there was no 'both sides'?" Yeah I did, so why are we polarized? We are polarized because we as a country believe, whatever "right" position we take we are with the majority. And hey the majority always wins. But that's where every American citizen is wrong. If you hate the fact that President Bush is still President Bush then you are not in the majority no matter how much you believe it or read about it. If you like President Bush, there are millions who oppose you. However, there are "tons" of blogs dedicated to slagging Bush. There are people that are still in the "shock and awe" and post-election blues, demanding protests and public outcry because he won. They want recounts, they want to point out all the flaws like Barbara Boxer did on Friday. For what reason though? What purpose? They hate... Mr. Bush. What good does this hatred do for our country, our flag? What good does it do for our standing in the world community? This outcry does nothing... It's really, I dislike saying it... Un-American! Sure, Boxer has the right to do what she did, but she did it because she hates Bush, period. I for one expect every vote to count but the system is not perfect. Still I need to believe in that system for each election because it is the only one we have and it will only get better. So how then when you vote, do you know your vote counts or isn't the one that jams the machine. You don't.... you just need to believe it does count or the system is a failure. And the system isn't a true failure.... the margins of error are no where close to failure.
But it is your right. You can speak out, you can hate Bush, you can write a daily journal on how much you dislike the man and his policies and his leadership. America gives you that right. You earned by supporting America in the past and being an American now and fighting for that now.
You are so lucky to have these freedoms of speech and getting the right to have any hairstyle you want. I couldn't live in another country and neither should you Bush haters, unless you want to. But being on that side of Bush, and writing about it, you need to expect criticism from the supporters of Bush. You need to understand that we are not brainwashed, war-mongering religious zealots. Disciples of Bush. We have our gripes too. It isn't a perfect political system but it is what we have and I wouldn't see it change much, even if Kerry were President.
The political system and our freedoms are what Bush is defending in the war on terror. That is what he believes, that is what he stands for. Sorry he is not camera friendly like Clinton. Why should he be?
I'll probably get some heat for what I said here but remember why Johnny up on top of this post is pointing at a ragged old flag instead of a fresh new flag. It is because its 229 years old and it has been through a lot, and it and this country it stands for will always be here. This country is a melting pot of beliefs and ideology. And that is what that makes that ragged old flag photo so great.
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