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Speech and Symbolism: Walking on the Flag
18Apr2008 Filed under: Life, Politics, Thought Author: MikeWe should embrace free speech in this country, even when it is offensive. Unerringly. But whenever a certain “speech” touches on our personal or national symbology it is very natural to be outraged. The millions of men and women who have served this country in the military, who have risked their lives, and who have seen their friends die on the battlefield; they have the right to be upset about this.
- Tags: Free Speech
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The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
-Carl Sandburg
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tyrannysucks
April 19th, 2008 at 2:19 am
I would agree that they have a right to be upset about people walking on the flag, just as they would have a right to be upset about pretty much any other speech or action calculated to push peoples’ buttons. The problem, to my mind, is that the outrage is precisely what the provocateurs are hoping for. Why give them the satisfaction of an indignant response? We all have the power to choose for ourselves how we will react to slights or insults, and the best way to end the outrageous behaviors is just to ignore them.