American Flag Lapel Pin
Jim Sullivan
American
Flag Lapel Pin wearing in this country is finally waning. You don't
see as many as before on men's suits and sports coats on the street or
on TV. Thank goodness! Many Americans, including myself, are
just plain worn out and sore from being poked in the eye, so to speak,
with those pins. Conservatives, by and large, and the odd Liberal,
have been wearing them to imply, seemingly, that they're in full support
of the Iraq War, the U.S. Commander-in-Chief, President Bush, and the American
way.
Who
did those people, mainly Republicans, think they were impressing?
Perhaps themselves? The lapel pin certainly didn't impress liberals
or progressives. And those pins surely didn't shame us into going
along with this administration's inane war policies! The pins did,
however, irritate us with their implications.
When
you come down to it, aren't we all Americans? Do we need a flag on
our lapel to prove it? I don't think so. Admittedly, if you're
a member of, say, the Elk's Club, the Lion's Club, or the Rotary Club,
all fine organizations to which I don't happen to belong, then it makes
sense and is fine with me if you wear your membership lapel pin.
Not everyone, of course, is a member. Therefore, wearing the pin
is one way to tell the world that you belong.
However,
if everyone is part of the same group, like Americans, then what's the
point of wearing a membership pin? Is it to let others know that
you're a super patriot? If so, then keep in mind what Samuel Johnson,
the English dictionary writer and author, once famously said, "Patriotism
is the last refuge of a scoundrel!"
In
my opinion, the conservatives' arrogantly flaunting the American flag on
their lapels is dividing our nation. Oh, it isn't the only thing
that's causing the major rift between left and right on the political spectrum,
but it certainly is a major factor. That's because it implies that
the wearer is a better American than a non-wearer.
By
the way, if those conservatives are so much in agreement with the current
U.S. chief executive, then why don't the super patriots wear their flag
pins around the world? I haven't seen any statistics about it but
I'm willing to bet that few conservatives wear their emblems outside of
our borders. And they'd be wise not to. Thanks to the Iraq
War, Americans aren't too popular overseas these days.
Finally,
instead of wearing something like a lapel pin flag to show others that
you're a true-blue, red-blooded American, why not do something worthwhile
and meaningful for the country to indicate how you really feel? You
could do any of several things: join the Army, pay more taxes to
the federal government, or increase your savings.![10x5 Page Background GIF Image](../../Images/10x5_Page_Background.gif)
... or support this newsletter.
— editor
Goofs
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Forwarded by BLA, of Schertz, Texas.
Last
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matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their brand new 22 ft boat
going. It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how
much power was applied. After about an hour of trying to make it
go, they putted to a nearby marina, thinking someone there could tell them
what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect
working condition. The engine ran fine, the out drive went up and
down, and the propeller was the correct size and pitch. So, one of
the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came
up choking on water he was laughing so hard. Under the boat, still
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Stray Thoughts
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