Patriotism

I remember in an art and photography class in college one assignment was to look at a series of images and describe how each made you feel. Before the September attacks, I never thought much about the image above. I knew what it meant, where it came from and what it represented on an informational basis, but did not have much feeling attached. My class was post-911 and I had a new set of associations. My intuit on this image is an example of internal conflict. I knew that it stood for all good things but because of what it become I felt unsettled.

In the few days following 911 there was a sense that we were all in the fight together and for a moment the country felt united, but as government stepped in with agendas and with the decision to invade Iraq, the American flag became a symbol of division. Those in support of the war and government sported this image on cars, over-sized trucks, lawns, and apparel. Those opposed felt like all pride had been drained from their souls and was replaced with embarrassment.

I want to be proud to live here and in many ways I am. But we have a long way to go. If Barack Obama becomes president I have faith that pride will be restored and a new set of associations will accompany the American flag.

Inspiration for this post has come from the book below. Infidel by Ayaan Hirshi Ali is a very powerful autobiography by a Muslim woman who struggled with fulfilling her duties as the eldest daughter and an arranged marriage. It is a story about her bravery in escaping her marriage and searching for political, cultural, and spiritual freedom when everything-including her own life-was at stake.

It made me feel very naive when complaining about being an American. At the very least I know I can complain without fear of being killed. We have potential to be the greatest country in the world.