JFK
So it had never occured to me before last night, not consciously anyway, but it seems like over the last four years the American flag has been totally co-opted by the right. Basically since 9/11, every time I saw the flag stickered on a car or on a tee-shirt or wherever, I instantly projected an off-the-shelf package of political beliefs to the person sporting it. Not that I was any kind of flag waver before G.W.’s goons took office, but after 9/11, I just felt this cesspool of cynicism and even outright hostility towards the sight of the American flag, like it was just this hollow symbol of fake patriotism. Now I’m not about to go buy a bunch of flags or anything, but I think I’m ready to make peace with the whole thing, and I have JOHN FUCKING KERRY to thank for it. We gathered to watch his speech last night…and, you know, drink beer and eat pizza. None of us expected much from the man, especially after some of the exceptional speeches we’ve seen over the last few days. We basically expected a total letdown. I think we were all pleasantly shocked to see JOHN FUCKING KERRY come out to the podium. I’m not gonna go into the entire speech, but about the whole flag thing…it was a brief moment, even kind of hokey. At one point, JOHN FUCKING KERRY pointed to the flag over his head and said “You see that flag up there?“…and there was much groaning and smart-ass remark making from our crowd and undoubtedly from crowds like us across the country. And then, JOHN FUCKING KERRY pointed out the obvious that I had forgotten, that the flag doesn’t belong to any president or ideology. And I know, it’s hokey, the flag is just a symbol and I still think it’s ridiculous when people say that somebody fought for a flag or that somebody died for a flag because it’s just a symbol, nothing more. But then again, it’s not JUST the flag that’s been co-opted by the right. So no, I’m not gonna go buy any flags or flag bumper stickers or flag tee-shirts. But I do thank JOHN FUCKING KERRY for helping me to make peace with the flag once again.
Comments
Sarah
2005-10-07T02:42:35.000Z
Dude this is so old, and I’m cruising the net googling Chris Cornell gives great head for laughs.
Your blog came up. Who knows why??
This is the funniest fucking thing I’ve read in weeks.
*salutes*
You should have covered the debates on CNN, it would have made the whole shebang worth watching.
And there I was settling for Jon Stewart.
