What is it about flags, dear reader? What is it we say, with bits of cloth strung together in a colorful pattern? These bits of cloth evoke feelings of pride, rage, anger, love, patriotism, hatred...
Mom: I just heard from your Uncle Kip...
Me: Oh yeah? About what?
Mom: Well, you know where he lives, right? And that he flies a rebel flag off his front porch?
Me: That's news?
Mom: It is! Someone wrote in a letter to the editor... Apparently they think Kip is against Obama or something...
Me: (Laughter) Well, he is a racist at heart and in mouth, so...
Mom: I know! I mean, I fly it just because I like how it looks--I always like to think of myself as a rebel! But your uncle... Oh my...
Me: Wait, wait, wait... Kip reads the paper?
Mom: I think someone must have told him about it...
Funny how little bits of cloth can sway our hearts and minds so, isn't it?
I've recently redecorated my car with a pride sticker after years of letting Betsy travel naked on America's highways and biways. You see, dear reader, once upon a time, my kid brother Mike was in a strange place in his life (when aren't each of us in that strange place, yeah?) and borrowed my car for a little while...
It came back sans pride sticker. Not that I blamed him--it's not like you could expect to see me running around in a car with an "I ♥ Jesus," right? Perish the thought! But I stood back in satisfaction as I surveyed my once naked Betsy now all aglow with her new rainbow strip across the back, just under the word MUSTANG. It's a beautiful thing...
This is where my older brother Tom would declare something along the lines of, "How come I don't have a straight pride flag? I want a straight pride day!" Never minding the fact that any time, on any day, at any given moment, straight pride is in every peck on your significant others' cheek, when you file taxes jointly, when someone comments on your ring (or tan line where the ring belongs!), the dominant culture is always a bit jealous of the many minority cultures it must "put up with" (or eradicate) when they make themselves known as unashamed of being not-so-mainstream.
Perhaps it's the rebel in all of us? Always wanting to feel unique, special, and different? To make ourselves stand out from all the other riff-raff we find ourselves surrounded by? A reminder to the rest of the world that we are all aren't the same, that there are those who live in your neighborhood, shop at your grocery store, work in your building, and pay their taxes just like you do, but have a slightly different perspective than you about all of it...
We went camping this past weekend, as you might know based on the last post to grace this blogs top spot (Helllooooooo hotties!) to a "gay men only" campground. Of course, being the prude's that we are, we made a solemn promise to ourselves that if it was in any way sleazy, we were going to leave. What we found out, however, that while there were a few there solely for a sleazy time, there were many more there just for the love of camping in a safe environment (and yes, there are many unsafe camping environments for homosexuals, FYI...). But the truly awesome thing? It was like Christmas! The lights, tiki torches, flags from every nationality, candles, decorated tents, decorated campers--it was insane! But each site was unique, and each camper took great pride in the way they made their camp area special. But even though each site was unique and special in it's own way, there was one thing that had brought us all together... Okay, well, two things: Love of Camping, and Love of Men... And as we started talking to some of these thousands of men, we found out, of course, that we had much more in common than that--our love of life, first and foremost.
And, of course, we all know (or should know) that nine times out of ten (that last dentist wouldn't take the bribe to recommend that particular brand of fluoride...) what we have in common is much more numerous than that which separates us, no matter where we are on this earth. No matter who we are, where we come from, who we sleep with, or who we don't sleep with, we are all humans just trying to find the best way to live our lives in this world...Which, in my opinion, is all the more reason to celebrate... So find and fly your flag, my fellow human being, and be proud of who you are and what you stand for--even if I disagree with the sentiment, it's hard to hate when we're open and discussing what we believe and why... Even if it is a flag of a different color... :)
Oh, and that second pic? That was our camp site--the most under-colored, under-lit site in the whole place... Granted, it was right there by the stream, under the pines, truly beautiful... But we've already been to Walmart to start spicing it up the next time we set up camp...
5 comments:
hello jason! interesting post here. kip does not fly his flag because he is racist but because he likes the south and he is just a rebel(not wanting to follow the so called normal and don't care what others always think) at heart and flying this flag means this to some of us. i guess kip and i will have to come up with our on design to shut up some of these people that get so upset over seeing a rebel flag. i did tell him to put about 50 more of them out on his yard to give them something more to complain about. what i don't like about most people that start flying different flags or start a so called all black tv station or all gay tv or campground(just a few examples) is that if a white person or a non gay person did do this we are told we are racist or against gays but blacks, gays, etc. doing this doesn't mean they are racist but have pride? i say fly your flags but i think if the rebel flag means white pride than why can't i say that with out people screaming i am a racist? i don't like using the word pride since pride goes before a fall but i am happy i am white and i know who and what i believe in and feel like i am very very very blessed! now with that statement i should be flying a couple of different flags. the flag i have flying is the american flag with an indian on it since i think that is a flag worth flying. if any people have a right to complain it is the american indian since us whites and blacks and jews and any other number of people took their country away from them. well, fly your flag and be happy in it i say. and if you don't have any flag make one up. love and prayers
The green and yellow stripe should be switched for more aesthetically pleasing feel.
LOL! I'll send out a memo... :)
LOL! I'll send out a memo... :)
hello jason! interesting post here. kip does not fly his flag because he is racist but because he likes the south and he is just a rebel(not wanting to follow the so called normal and don't care what others always think) at heart and flying this flag means this to some of us. i guess kip and i will have to come up with our on design to shut up some of these people that get so upset over seeing a rebel flag. i did tell him to put about 50 more of them out on his yard to give them something more to complain about. what i don't like about most people that start flying different flags or start a so called all black tv station or all gay tv or campground(just a few examples) is that if a white person or a non gay person did do this we are told we are racist or against gays but blacks, gays, etc. doing this doesn't mean they are racist but have pride? i say fly your flags but i think if the rebel flag means white pride than why can't i say that with out people screaming i am a racist? i don't like using the word pride since pride goes before a fall but i am happy i am white and i know who and what i believe in and feel like i am very very very blessed! now with that statement i should be flying a couple of different flags. the flag i have flying is the american flag with an indian on it since i think that is a flag worth flying. if any people have a right to complain it is the american indian since us whites and blacks and jews and any other number of people took their country away from them. well, fly your flag and be happy in it i say. and if you don't have any flag make one up. love and prayers
Post a Comment