Do you get angry/annoyed when people disrespect your country's flag?

[Echo Delta]

It amuses me whenever people deface a flag, and it amuses me even more to see people react to it.

To reiterate a good quote "If you want a symbolic gesture, don't burn the flag, wash it."

 

[Aethren]

I wrap the American flag around an upside-down cross and burn it every 4th of July. It's tradition around here.

 

[Ham_authority95]

A surprising number of Escapists are failing to grasp the simple notion of symbolism. Strange, you're usually a pretty smart bunch.

Symbolism only works if you've invested emotion into the object or subject in the first place.

 

[SoranMBane]

Nope. Flags don't represent anything substantial, especially considering that so many different people will have different ideas of what it represents (as I like to say, "if something can mean anything to anybody, then it means nothing at all"). If I saw someone showing disrespect towards, say, a copy of the Constitution, then I'd be upset. In that case, we'd be dealing with a document detailing concrete ideals; ideals that actually work towards ensuring my rights as an American citizen. But a flag is just a fancy piece of clothe to me, and has no significance beyond being my country's "logo," if you will.

 

[Mr Thin]

A surprising number of Escapists are failing to grasp the simple notion of symbolism. Strange, you're usually a pretty smart bunch.

Symbolism only works if you've invested emotion into the object or subject in the first place.

Well... yeah. That doesn't conflict with what I said. Symbols are nothing but the meaning assigned to them, there's generally a lot of meaning assigned to a flag.

If you don't feel any particular need to worship your countries colours, that's fine, but some posters here seem genuinely baffled by the very concept.

 

[thethird0611]

Honestly, I do get mad if I see a flag disrespected. Especially America's (probably because im a citizen here). I was taught since I was little that the American flag represented our country and our history. There's a reason for both the stars and stripes. Just like how many people in the military would dare let a thing happen to their company's flag.

So yeah, I respect our flag very much, and when someone decides to disrespect it, in my mind they better have a good reason. Flying a torn flag is just not right, but if someones burning a flag, it better be worth it.

 

[teknoarcanist]

With all that America has done both for and to the world, I think a ripped flag is neither here nor there. It's a piece of cloth. It doesn't represent your country except when you allow it to. If it's torn or dragging on the ground, it doesn't speak to YOUR America. Let it roll off your back. Your frustrations are internal.

 

[Baneat]

Flying a torn flag still makes sense too for the USA flag. It doesn't show disrespect for the country, the only importance in that message is the flag is being flown.

I've never seen anyone disrespect my country's flag though, flags aren't flown often outside the US

It's more showing a disrespect to the craftsmanship of the flag, or the fabric of the flag, or disrespecting fashion. Which is pretty funny.

 

[Berethond]

A surprising number of Escapists are failing to grasp the simple notion of symbolism. Strange, you're usually a pretty smart bunch.

Symbolism only works if you've invested emotion into the object or subject in the first place.

Well... yeah. That doesn't conflict with what I said. Symbols are nothing but the meaning assigned to them, there's generally a lot of meaning assigned to a flag.

If you don't feel any particular need to worship your countries colours, that's fine, but some posters here seem genuinely baffled by the very concept.

That's because, at least to me, I am baffled. Everyone keeps saying that the American flag is a symbol, but they can never be able to tell me what it's a symbol for.

 

[idodo35]

im israeli i dont care much to the blue and white thing... then again im ISRAELI our govermant isnt exactly the most beloved istitiusion in the country spacialy now with all the fashists...

 

[Mr Thin]

That's because, at least to me, I am baffled. Everyone keeps saying that the American flag is a symbol, but they can never be able to tell me what it's a symbol for.

Oh, fair enough. Here we are then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States

Some excerpts, for your convenience:

Spoiler

The fifty stars on the flag represent the 50 states and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy and became the first states in the Union.

Spoiler

The modern meaning of the flag, was forged in December 1861, when Major Robert Anderson, acting without orders, moved the American garrison from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, in defiance of the power of the new Confederate States of America. Goodheart argues this was the opening move of the Civil War, and the flag was used throughout the North to symbolize American nationalism and rejection of secessionism.

Spoiler

Throughout the world the flag has been used in public discourse to refer to the United States, not only as a nation, state, government, and set of policies, but also as a set of ideals.

 

[Smooth Operator]

No because I'm not a patriotic and xenophobic git who will snap at anyone who doesn't fit into my "normal people" shoe box.

 

[Nickolai77]

I've seen old British flags that have been torn and shredded by musketballs and cannonfire, and find it poignant that i can connect with it in a similar way to those soldiers whom fought under it all those centuries ago.

Of course the Union flag has significance to me, because i am British, like how the English flag and the EU flag also have significance to me because i am also English and European. A flag is a symbol of ones national (or trans or sub-national) identity.

 

[Voration]

Not really, its nice enough to see them flying here in the UK, there aren't enough flags around unless theres a football(soccer) match on of England vs another country. Then the St Georges cross appears everywhere

 

[Gudrests]

Canada? Fuck no, our flag falls from trees every goddamn autumn. I step on maple leafs all the fucking time.

Flags aren't representative of a country's ideals. It doesn't show their people, their attitudes or their leaders. A flag has very little meaning, except what people assign to it. And I think people put waayyyyy too much meaning into them.

[Edit] Example: My friend is from 'Merica. I was joking around with some people about how boring the States flag is. She just flipped the fuck out, yelling at me to show some respect for the Stars and Stripes. Then she yelled at me for disrespecting the Canadian flag, saying, "A flag is your country, If your flag breaks your country breaks."

I find this view unacceptable. A country should not be seen by it's symbol, but by it's actions.

Each part of the flag does represent something though. There are meaning for each part of the flag here and thats why people get upset, here its not a flag but something that represents much more.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

I'm in the military. I get upset because I know it's important to other people, and I make sure to show respect to the flag of any nation for this reason.

 

[Blue2]

Actually, It would hurt me deeply if I see a burning Canadian flag from hate but not enough to make a big deal out of it.

 

[Ldude893]

As someone who's Chinese, I hardly give a damn.

 

[Pain Is Inevitable]

Not really. Maybe if my country had a flag that represented more than the brutal rape and conversion of my country 1000 years ago to christianity, I'd care more about whether someone disrespected it.