Think Globally, Act Locally...or Sustainably Harvested Symbolism
I was disappointed when Barack Obama started appearing with the de rigeur flag pin on his lapel.
I understand what the pin symbolizes, I understand what the flag symbolizes, and I understand what the wearing of the flag pin symbolizes, and I don't have any complaint with any of them. I guess I'm just uncomfortable when I feel like someone tries to make a signifier signify to me exactly what, and to what degree, it signifies to someone else.
Or maybe it's that I don't really understand what patriotism is. To me, it's a pretty abstract concept. Love of country. Loyalty to country. Respect for country. How do these manifest themselves in such a way that is more than merely symbolic? Maybe it's like obscenity...I can't define it but I know it when I see it.
I, like John Mellencamp, was born in a small town. Actually, I was born in Chicago. I was raised in a small town. I always spend the 4th of July in that same small town, with my husband, who was also born (raised) in the same small town. On this 4th of July I spent considerable time near, with, and among lots of other people who were also born in the same small town.
The 4th of July parade in this small town is my flag pin. It means something deep and significant to me, and what it means to me is probably not that different than what it means to those wonderful people I spent the day near, with, and among. It probably would not, however, mean the same thing to anyone not from this same small town. Those people have their own flag pins.
I could list the day's events: bicycle races, shopping cart choreography, vintage cars full of familiar faces, grumpy dogs dressed in sparkly clothes, decorated red wagons, fire engine rides, free popsicles, a whole-town water fight, a barbecue, fireworks. And look. I did. This list tells a story of a day, but not the story of my day.
Love of country. Loyalty to country. Respect of country. The meanings are slippery for me.
Love of friends. Love of family. Love of tradition. Love of personal mythology. Love of laughter. Cheering for 4 year olds on tricycles, celebrating the blue ribbon be-costumed dog, a few hours of "remember that time...," reintroducing myself to my first grade teacher, and, of course, the free popsicles after the fire engine ride. These I can grab hold of. Tightly.
I understand what the pin symbolizes, I understand what the flag symbolizes, and I understand what the wearing of the flag pin symbolizes, and I don't have any complaint with any of them. I guess I'm just uncomfortable when I feel like someone tries to make a signifier signify to me exactly what, and to what degree, it signifies to someone else.
Or maybe it's that I don't really understand what patriotism is. To me, it's a pretty abstract concept. Love of country. Loyalty to country. Respect for country. How do these manifest themselves in such a way that is more than merely symbolic? Maybe it's like obscenity...I can't define it but I know it when I see it.
I, like John Mellencamp, was born in a small town. Actually, I was born in Chicago. I was raised in a small town. I always spend the 4th of July in that same small town, with my husband, who was also born (raised) in the same small town. On this 4th of July I spent considerable time near, with, and among lots of other people who were also born in the same small town.
The 4th of July parade in this small town is my flag pin. It means something deep and significant to me, and what it means to me is probably not that different than what it means to those wonderful people I spent the day near, with, and among. It probably would not, however, mean the same thing to anyone not from this same small town. Those people have their own flag pins.
I could list the day's events: bicycle races, shopping cart choreography, vintage cars full of familiar faces, grumpy dogs dressed in sparkly clothes, decorated red wagons, fire engine rides, free popsicles, a whole-town water fight, a barbecue, fireworks. And look. I did. This list tells a story of a day, but not the story of my day.
Love of country. Loyalty to country. Respect of country. The meanings are slippery for me.
Love of friends. Love of family. Love of tradition. Love of personal mythology. Love of laughter. Cheering for 4 year olds on tricycles, celebrating the blue ribbon be-costumed dog, a few hours of "remember that time...," reintroducing myself to my first grade teacher, and, of course, the free popsicles after the fire engine ride. These I can grab hold of. Tightly.
What a great tradition you and your family have for the 4th.
Obama was forced to wear the flag pin by voters who think wearing it equates to patriotism. He needs their votes in November.
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Your brother sent this to me and it certainly brought a tear to my eye - well, both of them! Empty symbols for empty people - true patriotism lies in one's soul.
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I wore my flag lapel pin to the same parade yesterday. And I hated putting it on because it makes me think of small minded people who think politicians who don't wear them aren't proud of it or something. I almost put a sign under mine saying "Obama: Please take my pin so Fox can rant about some other stupid thing. Thanks!"
I'm glad he's wearing one so people can stop talking about it as an issue (and get back to even more irrelevant things like how his name is one letter away from "Osama") but I loathe that the conservatives are not-so-secretly pleased that he's wearing it "because of them."
Off my rant. And it is stunning how every fire truck had at least one person we went to elementary school with on it. I wonder if in 20 years (yes, I said 20, but I mean 30) the current students there will be back with their families? Or if this was a 70s phenomenon...?
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