A Labor Day reflection on ‘Old Glory’

Andrew Malekoff ? 2023

Every Labor Day, there are American citizens that fly Old Glory in honor of those who strived for worker’s rights. However, not everyone openly displays the American flag on patriotic holidays. This is a story about someone who has decided not to.

Elon Musk acquired the social media company Twitter on April 14, 2022 and renamed it “Platform X.” As new ownership took over, I was concerned that some tweeted gems might fall off the face of the Earth or receive minimal exposure.

I am rarely moved to take such matters into my own hands and use this space to remedy the situation.

For this week’s column, I made an exception. Musk suggested that tweets now be referred to as X’s for rebranding purposes. I will use “tweet” here, given its familiarity to readers.

I should note that when the spirit moves me, I reach out for permission to share content with proper attribution.

In doing so, I discovered that tweets do not rise to the minimum creative effort required to claim copyright protection. The content is licensed to make it available to the rest of the world.

Having established that, I decided to share an outstanding thread (a series of connected tweets) composed by someone with the screen name “Retired Master Chief” (@CMCRET), who identifies himself as a retired veteran. This past July 4 he wrote the following about his American flag:

“A few years ago, I respectfully stored my American flag. I haven’t taken it out since. I thought that maybe this year, I’d put it up. I’m considering leaving it in its box. Now, I know that many of you may view this as a surrender.

“Many may believe that I am ceding appropriation of the flag. Let me say that I’m neither surrendering or ceding. Is it a protest? Hardly. I doubt anyone will care if I fly it or not. However, my flag represents ideals no longer present in our country.

“It is being replaced by the dollar, the Bible. It was disparaged and disrespected on 1/6. Used as a weapon against those entrusted for the safety of our Capitol. It has been defaced with images if the least patriotic individual in existence today.

“It has been used as underwear, shirts, hats, swimwear…mostly by those who don’t understand that this flag also draped the coffins of our fallen, that it represents us on foreign soil, on the seas and oceans around the world.

“They don’t understand the ideals that this piece of cloth represents. The ideals established in the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence. Most don’t know what it is or have never taken the time to read and understand what it means.

“Justice? Domestic tranquility? General welfare? We’ve seen what justice looks like. Our elected leaders have bastardized this concept to benefit them and their party. They have all but ensured that “justice” is nothing more than a pre-determined outcome.

“And, when we attempt to apply justice reasonably, the concept is considered to be rigged, tainted, or weaponized. Justice is only acceptable when the predetermined outcome comes to fruition.

“Tranquility? General welfare? It’s difficult to be tranquil when our children can’t go to school and feel safe. When we can’t go shopping at stores, when we can’t gather at a park for fear of being shot by some maladjusted, aggrieved, individual who happens to have a pulse.

“A pulse, and the ability to fog a spoon – the only requirement to own a gun. Or, going through the day wondering if our gay/trans sons or daughters, grandchildren will be faced with vile bigotry and hatred as they go about their daily lives.

“Or, if they will encounter racism because of the color of their skin. I haven’t been tranquil in quite some time. General welfare? It’s difficult when the greatest country on Earth is incapable or unwilling to care for the most vulnerable among us.

“Where healthcare is based on whether one can pay. Where food insecurity, hunger is felt by children and families throughout the country. Where homelessness is just a paycheck away.

“Can you see why I want to keep my flag in its box? It isn’t that many aren’t trying to live up to the standards claims in the Preamble. It’s that some prefer to ensure they retain power at all costs by putting up obstacles, knowing that they have that predetermined outcome.

“We mock, sneer, and hold in disdain the existence of the Taliban and other religious zealots. We do the same for those “s*** hole” countries. All while racing to the bottom trying to implement the American version of the same concepts.

“Blow up your fireworks wearing your stars and stripes Speedos. Don’t bother considering those who dread the sounds and smells they emit. Sure, it’s against the law within most city limits-but clearly – they don’t apply to you.

“I’m keeping my flag in its box. My flag is always present in my house. It’s in my shadow box, my wife’s shadow box. My house – where the claims of the Preamble are always present.”

I share this with you, my readers, to memorialize his words before they disappear into the ether. I cherish the American flag presented to my family at my father’s (WWII veteran) funeral in 1994.

Thank you “Retired Master Chief,” for your service, patriotism, and wisdom.

____________________

Published in The Island 360: https://theisland360.com/opinions-100/the-back-road-a-labor-day-reflection-on-old-glory/