It is the 4th of July and I realized I wasn't feeling particularly patriotic. I started to think about what patriotism really meant. over and over again I see in news and videos the honoring of our troops, the need to respect our flag, and the near worship of our country. Something about many of these things feels wrong. I understand the need to respect people's service but I don't want to honor war. I don't want to see our country kill and conquer. It hurts to see innocent people die to get $2.50 a gallon in gas. Or have our government ban substances not because they have no medical benefit but because it gives those in power the excuse to imprison minorities and foreigners or to interfere with countries outside of our direct control. It hurts to see our government enact policies to make the wealthy richer and the unfortunate poorer. Then, to go further, excuse those policies by saying lower classes deserve their lot because they are two lazy to become rich. This does not seem like serving our country to me. These things also do not seem like they are worthy of honoring.
There are things worthwhile in our country, but I am not sure it is because we are the United States. I think we are at our best when our country seeks justice. When we provide health care and education to those who need it. When we made sure everyone has a fair hearing. I think our country is at its best when we create conditions that promote joy and real hope. Our country doesn't always do that and it makes me sad.
This leads me to symbols of our country, how we see and treat them. Primarily, we have the flag. a styled piece of cloth that we use to symbolize aspects of our country. Because it is used to symbolize our country, it can be saluted if it represents to us aspects of our country we admire. Many also burn the flag in effigy, because to them our country has caused more harm than good. I see both these things when I see the flag.
When I see the flag, I see a country that is generous and kind. I see a country that sees justice as such a high priority that it bars the government from suppressing dissent. I see a country that spent the first half of the last century slowly building a public education system and infrastructure that was the envy of the world. I see a country that regularly sends its people to help those in need. I see a country that invests in research to help make a better world. We are a country that literally made it to the moon. I hope we go further. I see a country that respects people's rights even when they may not agree. I see a country whose first reaction when a terrorist attacked was to get in a line around the block to give blood. I see a country that liberated people from concentration camps. it is this country's flag I would happily salute.
When I see the american flag, I also see the flag of american empire. I see a country that actively participated and contributed to the worse form of slavery in history. I see a country that institutionalized racism. I see a country that committed genocide against out indigenous population. we are a country that created its own concentration camps. I see a country that invades other countries when they are inconvenient. I see a country that deports people who have committed no other crime. I see a country that banned a substance in just the right way to cause more corruption and crime than the substance caused on its own. I see a country that taxes the poor and subsidizes the wealthy. I see a country that bombs the innocent with the guilty. I see a country that ignores the effect our actions have on the world we live in. It is the flag of this country that I would happily burn.
The problem is the flag of the country I love and the flag of the empire I would burn look exactly the same. I have noticed this confusion happens a lot. People become angry when someone messes with the flag, just like people get angry when the flag messes with people. I would rather live in a world without a flag. I want to see the country I love seek out higher ideals, for America to be a citizen of a higher kingdom. Sometimes that means pointing out the areas we excel, sometimes that means pointing to the areas we need to improve. I hope our country has room for both.
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