Interestingly if they turn out to not be insane they're a ride or die.
this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2025
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The adulterated flags, especially. Angry eagles on them, blue lines, raggedy ones. On shirts, trucks, with ex military, gadsden, gunmaker, or of course any pro-republican or anti-liberal stickers.
The US flag has become a warning about the bearer. I’m sure foreign countries have experience with this, but now it’s an internal problem as well. Do Not Engage.
In my own experience living in several countries in Europe, the more the flag waving the more national delusions of grandeur and xenophobes in a country.
Also, lets not forget that the Far-Right are the ultimate flag shaggers.
The place more obsessed with the flag that I lived in was Britain, and they left the EU on a campaign based in large part (maybe even mostly) on xenophobic arguments along with some serious delusions of grandeur (expecting that, because of how important a country they thought they were, in the Leave negotiations the EU would just give them the same rights as before but without the duties) plus the Press and Politicians over there relentlessly push the "Great Britain is an important country in the World" and "We know best and foreigners can't do things as well as us" spins on international affairs. It's so extreme that to spot the Far-Right from the rest of the flag shaggers you have to look for the ones using the English flag (those would be the far right ones) rather than the British flag (though, granted, the common people tend to have the flag on things more than to wave it)
Meanwhile in the smaller countries I lived in, there is very little flag waving or usage by common people outside the Far-Right and the period of the World/European Cup (in soccer), and the same for Germany even though it's a big country. People don't just plaster the flag on everything and outside the international soccer championships pretty much only official buildings and far right demonstrations involve flag waving, and the Dutch even go further and use orange flags (the Royal family is the "Orange" family) for soccer rather than the national flag.
In England there's two flags, a flag for if you're racist (English flag, except if there's a major sporting event), and the British flag for if you're proud of your country in a non racist way
Does it work the same way in the more reasonable US states with the state vs national flag?
Barely anyone uses state flags, unless its hung right next to a national flag. No-one really cares about them honestly, at least where I'm from. Conservatives are more likely to use the national flag, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone with just the state flag.
Not really, no. The problem is that the flag is the symbol of the country, above anything and everything else. All we have are a piece of paper (the Constitution) and a piece of cloth (the flag) to unite us, so they've both, historically, been extremely central to US identity.
The best I could offer is that you 'average' American doesn't own an American flag, though they might own something with the design of the flag on it. If you see an American flag flying on a pole outside of someone's house - especially one in tatters - that's generally a bad sign. If someone has a flag hanging on the wall inside the house - especially in accordance with the flag code - that's usually not a bad sign. At least in my experience.
And it's fair to say that if you're flying a flag on a car then they're probably also conservatives
Anytime I see an American flag flown off of someone's house (or God forbid, their truck), my assumption anymore is that they're a repugnant chud who hates every principle the country was founded on, but loves every horrific atrocity it's indulged in.
Oh hey, you just described my in-laws. sub a minivan for the truck though.
They sure do love going on about how this nation was founded on "CHRISTIAN principles and beliefs", yet every single word out of their mouths, every vote they cast, every action they take says "if Jesus were in front of me today I'd be the first to grab a nail gun to put that commie-social-Marxist in his place with the other snowflakes".
"Loves every atrocity it's indulged in" sums up my feelings and impression of R/conservative voters better than I've come across yet
one is acceptable. there's a lot of nice, decent people who have a flag up at their house or business.
more than one, though, and you can pretty much tell how big a raging hateful asshole they are by how many flags they have up and how poorly they're displayed. bonus points for bastardizations like 'thin blue line'.
I've been noticing a lot of trump flags going above the American flag around Ohio.
It's not surprising, but it is very telling.
one is acceptable
Without a flag, Americans won't know what country they're in and they'll try and bomb it.
Bahahaha.
Dunno man, the only folks with OUTSIDE American flags I've ever met who weren't chuds were the kind who have like a bunch of flags outside of their house, one of which is usually Pride.
only one stars-and-stripes? the pride and others don't count in the asshole meter.
I mean, I hate a lot of the principles the country was founded on, too. But mainly because those principles caused and excused the atrocities.
I can empathize a lot with Thomas Paine, who died in penury, rejected by his "countrymen" for daring to carry their revolutionary ideals to the logical conclusion.
And also his atheism.
George Washington also never spoke out declaring Christian faith and went to great lengths to avoid it altogether. (If I'm not mistaken)
“The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”
-1797 Treaty of Tripoli begun by George, signed by John Adams and ratified by the Senate.
Ironically, expecting Americans to know their history is like expecting Christians to have read the entire bible.
The rest of the world: “First time?”
I was going to say, I find this very healthy and having grown with that exact assumption burned into my synapses I find it's served me well in a number of ways.
Hopefully your country wasn't destroyed because we wanted bananas
Oooooh, you're reading this as "I have that assumption about the US flag"?
No, no, I have that assumption about my own flag. We did it. We broke the country by following a fascist leader, and so overtly patriotic assholes waving our flag are typically fascistoid idiots.
Assuming all patriotism is a disease is a healthy assumption that has served me well in life.
I do get freaked out by Americans, though. First time I attended a US sporting event in person and saw a stadium stand in silence for a national anthem for no legitimate reason I lost my ability to be shocked at anything that's happening there today. Did not know what to do for the duration because I sure as hell won't stand in awed contemplation, hand in heart, for my own anthem, so I wasn't gonna do it for the US's. But I definitely became hypearaware of who noticed I was not standing up and I was looking utterly horrified because I wasn't sure if that was going to end well.
I don't think it's our first rodeo, either, if you can count the revolutionary and civil wars.
I have a bunch of 10+ year old shirts that I got for about $0.93 each on July 5th.
While the faded, cracking, sometime half-gone flags are a little apropos, I only wear them now when I have a hoodie on or something that covers it. And my other shirts get worn first.
It's really hard to find shirts that are comfortable for my body type and sensory issues and 100% cotton...
But every time I see someone with apparel or decals of American flags now, I can usually accurately guess the person's voting habits and how they feel about the fact that gasp people can be gay. And asexual. And bi. And everything in between and around, up down and sideways.
Literally today on my way across the state I encountered a middle aged chucklefuck decked out in a button up top shorts, a hat, and phone case all adorned with the flag, and within 30 seconds of being within earshot I heard 3 different slurs.
Something something PrOuD tO bE AnMuRrIcAn 🤮
I felt that way about the Canadian flag for quite a while after the 2022 freedom convoy but since Trump and Carney getting into office, I’ve become proud of it again. Especially because of the current polling in the federal election
Came here to say this. During trucking convoy I felt sad every time I saw the Canadian flag. It’s got its pride and power back these days and I no longer have to assume someone’s anti-vax when I see it on someone’s home or vehicle.
This also applies in Australia
If you read an American history book, it becomes clear pretty quickly that whoever wrote this tweet isn't wrong.
Likely because if you were watching the January 6th republican-led insurrection on the Capitol, you were seeing a lot of flag-waving republicans committing a great deal of violence. Now those of us who detest the degeneracy of the ghouls that voted for the senile fuck associate the flag with traitorous violence.
In the end a flag is just a symbol, and they can be corrupted by evil people. They can also represent good. Take it back.
The real hypocrisy is when its flown alongside other flags that clearly don't go with it, such as the Confederate battle flag, a swastika, or a Trump flag.
Considering how America has voted, might be time to find a new symbol.
One way is to supplement the original with a secondary flag to express the details. We've done that all along with the US and state flag combo. I get what you're saying, but since voting percentages don't reflect a whole country, I think reclaiming it is better than letting the loud minority have it.
But that means we have to be loud too.
What do you think in America is good and should be represented?
The geography, cuisine (we do alot more than just fast food), contributions to the arts and sciences, all the people in our history who fought and died fighting for what is right- and to bring it closer to that lofty ideal of every man created equal; basically everything except the chuds
I have a feeling that if you saw this sentence written by someone else with any other country substituted, you'd realize immediately that it's bigoted horse shit.
Well, guess what? Your question isn't an exception.
Um, the ADA?
At least, while it still lasts? That is one of the few things the US objectively does better than most countries.
I'll just cut it to the core and say most Americans. There's plenty that is bad, misguided, idealized while not including everyone, both in history and now, but I don't think most people are doing all this. Represented is a good word, because I don't think these people are, the image of America has been perverted, used, and stolen to mean something else entirely. That has to change, otherwise might as well find a new symbol because what there was to be proud of will be gone.
It’s interesting that you proceeded directly to vague statements instead of being able to name anything at all.
Legitimately, the Mountain West. I am super biased because I grew up in Colorado but I think the Mountain West is something in America that should be truly celebrated. The small mountain towns are incredible. You get roughly 6,000-10,000 people together living in a valley and they decide they want bike paths and rec centers and decent bus service. The towns are small and walkable and there is a lot less sprawl. Property lines might be defined but people are more lax about things and walking past someone's house to get to a trail isn't a terrifying adventure in will they shoot me or not? And then the outdoor space. Everywhere I lived outside of Denver I could walk down the street and be in a National Forest in less than 10 minutes. Some places I could walk off the property and be in a national forest.
It's crazy to live in a big city now and I feel less safe riding my bike to the store despite it being 10x closer. Getting outside and walking is so much easier because there is space that isn't "owned" by anyone. It's freeing for the mind and soul.
There are problems but when I moved away a few years ago even the people on the trump train we're still community members looking to support everyone including gay people, trans people, and women. All the opinions I heard were summed up by, "Well, it's their choice, it don't affect me."
To be fair, Canada also has a mountain west. And those mountains existed long before either country.
As a Brit I've been more than aware for a while