Flying the flag on your car

[Onceuponalife]

Remember right after 9/11 it seemed like everyone and their mother was attaching the American flag to their car antenna or window? You don't see much of that anymore. Personally, I always wondered what the point was. Were people trying to show others how patriotic they were? How does flying a flag (which doesn't take much thought or effort) make you more patriotic than the next person? So I'd just like to ask these questions to satisfy my own curiosity:

1. Do you fly a flag on your car and why?

2. What do you think about flying the flag on an everyday basis either on your car or in your yard?

3. What does the flag mean to you?

4. Do you think one is more patriotic if one flys or displays a flag?

5. What is your opinion of those who wear clothing made from the flag (or has a flag design)?

[lunatica]

1. 1.No 2.nothing much 3.just a symbol 4.no 5.bad taste

[rurallib]

4. you copied off my paper!

We have a new neighbor who erected a 20 foot flagpole in his yard. Have not introduced myself as yet for I fear we might not see eye to eye.
Yet he may be a wonderful person, but ostentatious displays of flag-waving sends off bad vibes to me.

[liberal N proud]

5. +1

[spanone]

2. what do we win?

[Onceuponalife]

18. My undying gratitude?

[TexasObserver]

3. I never place any kind of sticker or symbol on my vehicles.

At least I haven't in over 30 years.

I don't consider my car an appropriate vehicle for advocacy. Some choose otherwise, but in a world of drivers where some are dangerously impaired by substances, some are dangerously influenced by talk radio or Fox News, and some are just daft or mean, I choose not to be remarkable while driving.

I've never read a single bumper sticker and thought "now I'm convinced." But I know some really enjoy having theirs. I did too, when I was 15. I don't wear or display any kind of flag. I served voluntarily in the military. I've worked in my government as a civilian. I've contributed in many ways that represent our country better than flag waving. I consider flag waving to be jingoistic nonsense.

[RKP5637]

9. +1, n/t

[The Straight Story]

6. Here you go:

1. Do you fly a flag on your car and why?
- No, but I have a bumper sticker with it on there. When mom died I got her old van and left it there.

2. What do you think about flying the flag on an everyday basis either on your car or in your yard?
- Think it can be a positive reminder to yourself and others about what it means. Freedom. You know, the ability to go hang out with friends at Bob's bar - the guy you went to school with - and actually be adults and have a few smokes together (oh wait, freedom of choice is passe now....)

3. What does the flag mean to you?
- Freedom. Your body, your choice. From religion, to abortion, to where you go to eat, drink, work.

4. Do you think one is more patriotic if one flys or displays a flag?
- No, anymore than I think someone who has a cross on their car is more Christian than others. Actions speak louder than words, but symbols do have a place.

5. What is your opinion of those who wear clothing made from the flag (or has a flag design)?

-I think they honestly feel and believe in freedom like many of us do and that is their way of showing it.

[RKP5637]

7. Answers to the quiz!!!

1. Do you fly a flag on your car and why?
No, it's fake to me.

2. What do you think about flying the flag on an everyday basis either on your car or in your yard?
No, it's fake to me.

3. What does the flag mean to you?
Anymore, Wingnuts.

4. Do you think one is more patriotic if one flies or displays a flag?
Neither.

5. What is your opinion of those who wear clothing made from the flag (or has a flag design)?
Need to get a life.

In the 60's we called these people, "The Flag People."

[sarge43]

8. .....

1. No. I don't represent the United States in any official way.

2. Not much one way or another

3. It's a symbol of my country

4. No

5. They're breaking the law if they're wearing an actual flag or any part of one (without official authorization such as military). A flag design - distasteful and tacky.

[vixengrl]

10. 1. I don't fly a flag on my car--I put a flag sticker in my car window

for awhile, but flying one of those car-flags never seemed appropriate to me. Also, those flags flying from people's cars would start to get so dirty, ripped, and sad-looking it struck me as kind of disrespectful to the flag.

2. If people want to fly the flag, it doesn't matter to me.

3. It's a symbol. The Constitution stands for the country in my mind more than the flag does.

4. Not really--getting back to the car-flag thing, I remember the first time I saw one of those flags hanging that looked worse than the old Ft Mc Henry flag waving limply over an also dirty car, and I thought, "This flag thing is more about the person flying it than the flag now, isn't it?"

5. No opinion, really. Well, fashion-wise I find it can be really overdone--it's like saying, "I'm so patriotic, I made myself into a flag--in your face!" But it can also be just a statement--"This flag is my flag, too."

[RKP5637]

16. We have a number of people here that leave a flag up all of the time. They are filthy, all

tattered and falling apart, etc. I was taught the flag is not to be flown during inclement weather, and after sunset is supposed to be lighted. These flags are just left up 7x24, unattended. Incorrect IMO.

[Onceuponalife]

19. Thank you!

3. It's a symbol. The Constitution stands for the country in my mind more than the flag does.


Great answer!

[Demoiselle]

11. 1. No flag on the car....

2. We fly a flag from the little ornamental balcony on our (old fashioned) house on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Armistice Day. During the Christmas season we fly a secular Christmas flag (a holiday goose..white..on a red background with ivy trimmings.)
3. The flag symbolizes my country. I'm fond of it.
4. Absolutely not.
5. Flag clothing looks a bit garish and cheesy to me. I do like stovepipe Uncle Sam hats, though. We have a lifesized and lifelike statue of Dracula that we put at our front door every Halloween. We let him stand in a corner of our dining room for the rest of the year, and decorate him in holiday-appropriate attire. On the Fourth of July he wears an Uncle Sam hat.
At Christmas, a Santa hat. On St Patrick's Day he's duded up like a leprechaun, and at Easter he wears bunny ears and carries a basket of Peeps.
Any other questions?

[47of74]

12. Well...

No I do not fly a flag on my vehicle. I think it's tacky to have them displayed like that, and I also think there's safety issues as well. Down in Bettendorf one time I saw a guy who had two big ass flags bolted to his pickup - I'm talking flags that were probably meant for display on a flagpole. I kept back from him because the way they were flapping around I had my doubts that his rear view mirrors would be all that effective, as well as not wanting to be near that gigantic ego.

If you want to put a flag sticker on your vehicle I think that's OK. I used to have one on my previous car, just a small one that I stuck on the rear window. I think when I sold that car it had been in the car.

I have an uncle who flies the flag every day - he's a veteran and feels it's his duty to fly the flag to honor those who served - especially those who did so in Vietnam like he did. He's also a union member and a strong Democrat too. My dad also served in Vietnam but doesn't have the flag up, it doesn't make him less patriotic than others who do display the flag.

I do have to wonder at times about people who obsess over the flag - it seems to cover up their personal shortcomings and they use it as an excuse to justify everything under the sun. During the Bush years I could hardly stand to look at the flag knowing all the evil that was being justified under the flag - his wars of aggression and shitting on the Constitution sullied the flag.

[tularetom]

13. Good questions

1-No, same reason I don't hang baby shoes from my mirror or tie a racoon tail to my antenna.

2- Car, dumb. Yard, OK during the Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day period.

3-It's a symbol. I respect it but I don't get all teary eyed over it.

4-You gotta be shitting me.

5-Assholes.

[Wilms]

14. Generally, I have one low opinion or another about that practice. But I have one exception.

A lovely elderly woman I know has one. She's over ninety years old.

I smile when I see her car tooling through the hood. :)

[cynatnite]

15. Actually, I did attach a flag to my car right after 9/11...

For me it wasn't just patriotism. At the time it was a symbol of solidarity and hope after suffering such a horrific blow. I guess you could call it patriotism.

The flag came down when bush began his warmongering rhetoric. It came down because it was more about getting "them" and dropping bombs. It came down because of the "us vs. them" mentality. It bothered me a lot.

If other people want the yellow magnets, flags attached to their cars or whatever...I really don't care. It doesn't make one more or less patriotic, IMO.

Good questions.

[Onceuponalife]

23. Thanks, I appreciate your response.

The solidarity thing is a good reason to fly the flag. But for me, it just seemed to be more of a jingoistic reaction amidst the calls for blood and attacks on middle eastern immigrants. Some immigrants even took to flying the flag out of fear! I chose to send money to the victims instead. I've just never been a flag waver, not even on holidays, and I'm a veteran, too.

[notadmblnd]

17. 1. no 2. lazy, the flag should be taken down every day 3. symbol of US 4. no 5. tacky

[951-Riverside]

20. The flag represents freedom, liberty and justice not George W. Bush or the Neo-Con agenda.

Don't those unamerican thugs hijack the flag or make you feel ashamed for flying it. Fly it with pride.

:patriot:

[RKP5637]

25. +1, n/t

[taterguy]

21. My question to you is why do you assume everyone drives a car?

That mentality is really getting tiresome.

[Onceuponalife]

24. Good question.

I didn't mean it to sound that I was assuming that everyone drove a car. I was just asking it of the people who owned cars, and I also mentioned people flying it in their yards. I don't drive myself. I've never even owned a car or ever had a driver's license and I'm 44 years old.

[2Design]

22. car dealers still have them - it is part of marketing not what it used to be

I used to like displaying the flag and singing national anthem but the way it is used now.... I don't do either one

[ohheckyeah]

26. ....

1. I've never flown a flag on my car.
2. If someone else wants to do it that's their right. I just think it's rather silly.
3. The flag is a piece of cloth. I don't attach any great sentiment to it.
4. No
5. Don't care

[hatesthegop]

27. The flag doesn't mean shit

in fact I'd go piss on it! What makes you patriotic is to go out and fight for equality and justice..stick your neck out...take risks for others..work to change the system for the betterment of others..the flag is a just a worthless peice of cloth!!!

[RC]

28. The respect some give the flag.

[WVRICK13]

29. Over Zealous Flag Waving

is over the top pride in the Fatherland or Motherland (depends on your point of view). When any country is waving flags on a consistent and fervent basis it scares me. Too similar to the Nazis in Germany and the old USSR.

1. No, I am American and flying a flag is unnecessary. It is like saying, my country right or wrong. I know not to reward wrong.

2. I think you are a fanatic.

3. Ethnocentricity

4. No, a true patriot wants what is best for the country and does not support a country when it is in the wrong, like Iraq and Afghanistan.

5. They need a better designer.

[CBGLuthier]

30. OK

1) No
2) Not much
3) Not Much
4) Not Really
5) Not much