Flag Worship vs. Flag Protest

I often see memes and social media posts expressing a sentiment that burning or stomping on the US flag is bad. They state that flag desecration should either be made a felony or that it dishonors the members of our armed forces who sacrificed for that flag. I disagree. Flying the flag is cool. Protesting the flag is cool. Neglecting the flag, however, is very uncool.

Flag Worship - Acceptable!

Flying the flag is a great and wonderful thing. It shows patriotism and a nationalistic spirit that can bring us Americans together as a people (whatever that means). I fly flags all the time. Some of my best friends are flags. Flying the flag shows active and principled support of the country and/or government you believe in and serve. I am for this.

But, those who serve or served in our armed forces do not do so for a flag. I served in the US Marines for 12 years but did not serve for a flag. I served, we all served, for each other.¹ For the fighter to our left and right, and for our families and friends back home. More importantly, we served and fought for the freedoms and rights that we are guaranteed in our country, in an effort to bring those freedoms to another place.

I stand at attention when the flag is raised and when I sing the national anthem. There is surely a lot of feeling when we see that flag that we wore, or that covers the coffin of our dead comrades. But that feeling does not come from the flag, it comes from the sacrifice we make. When we show reverence for the flag, we send a message. But there are other messages, too.

Remember that sacrifice is not exclusive to military veterans. Generations have sacrificed, and many had that sacrifice forced on them, to make the USA free in many different ways. It is a mistake to assume that a flag burner or stomper, or a National Anthem kneeler, does not respect the sacrifice that that flag symbolizes.

Flag Protest - Acceptable!

I think that burning² or stomping³ on flags is fine. Likewise, kneeling during the national anthem is perfectly acceptable. Like proudly flying that flag, or standing up with your hand on your chest, protesting is sending a message. Rather than patriotism or nationalism, it shows nonconformism or tired-of-the-establishment-ism. It, too, is a principled position in support of the country you believe in, and the government you hope for. I am for this.

There are many things that make up the ineffable "USA", and a lot of that can be represented by a flag. But the flag is only a part and but a mere representation. The government that we elect is only a part of that ineffable whole. And burning the flag to protest the injustices and inequalities perpetrated or encouraged by that government honors the flag just as much as standing to attention. Wanting to make that form of protest illegal is unpatriotic, and is is an affront to many freedoms that many of us served to ensure.⁴

Flag Neglect - Unacceptable!

What I can't get behind is the middle ground. Neglect and ignorance. Flying a flag without knowing how to do it properly. Leaving a flag up overnight without it being lit. Leaving a tattered flag up. Hanging it vertically with the stars on the wrong side. If you are going to show your patriotism, do it properly.

If you pretend to be patriotic by putting a flag up, but you do not do so properly, you need to shape up! You hypocritically act as if you care about the sacrifice, and then you neglect the symbol that you claim is so important. I see these tattered flags all over the place. At churches and office buildings, homes and apartments. I served in the Marines so that people could participate in our government and way of life. I cannot stand faux patriotism.

I don't care if my fellow Americans are patriotic through flag worship or flag protests. But if you pretend to worship the flag, but don't care enough to make sure it's done properly, your passive use of a sacred symbol is shameful.

Anyhoo.... listen to each other. People who lovingly display the flag, tell people why you do so, and what the flag means to you. People who burn the flag, tell people why. And both sides listen need to listen and respect each other. Except for the negligent faux patriots, screw those folks who ignorantly display something so powerful to many people. To find out more about proper flag use, go to http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

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1 Well, that and I had NO PLACE ELSE TO GO!
2 See also "burnin'"
3 See also "stompin'"
4 It's also been confirmed as Constitutionally protected free speech like A LOT. See Texas v. Johnson, see also United States v. Eichman

Homecoming

This is kind of a departure from how I regularly write.

Deployments are easy. Coming home is hard. On deployment you wake up and run towards the enemy, then run away from the enemy repeated ad naseum for seven months or more. More recently I got up every day to try and whip the Jordanian military into shape so that they would be viable allies in the War on Terror in Afghanistan. It is difficult, yet easy because it is simple. Homecomings are not as simple.

Coming home can be complicated.  There are few things greater than the camaraderie one finds from being deployed with their brothers-in-arms. The loss of that camaraderie can cause a return home to weigh heavily on a returning veteran. Dealing with what happened while you were gone with people who weren't with you and who question your having gone is very difficult. As supportive as they may be, they just don't know.

Without that every day camaraderie I find myself somewhat adrift. I continue to lean on the gospel and my Savior. With the Spirit in my life, I know that it is all good. 

However, coming home to almost all of my friends having moved or gotten married or both leaves a gaping hole in my life and tons of time to fill with. It's hard when sometimes all one needs is someone to talk to or to go on a walk with and you're stuck trying to make new friends with people you just met.

It is easy to see why so many returning veterans fall into dealing with their deployment related issues with alcohol, drugs and other garbage. Since 2003 there have been five suicides in my company, and at least one attempt. I am grateful for the Holy Spirit and the Atonement of Christ to help me regain my footing here at home.

Buddies Left to right: Sgt Steven Young, SSgt Jimbo Larsen,
and Sgt Sergio Perez

It's fine, at least I'm fine. And I know that Jimbo is alright, he has his beautiful family to rejoice at his homecoming which makes coming home easier, even if it's to a new state.

It's tough when I have many things going for me and which I am excited for but which do not start for several months. But, as I stated before, leaning on the Gospel of Christ has helped me. I know many, many Marines and soldiers who aren't as blessed with a testimony of the gospel. 

I just want to say that I am extremely grateful for my Heavenly Father for always being there for me when the going gets tough. I am extremely imperfect and routinely sin. I'm getting better and love it. I love the Temple and the peace that I get from that Holy Place.

If you know a veteran reach out to them. No one can know what each of them has gone through, but just being there for them can help loads.

Key aspects of Manhood.

Ladies, if your man doesn't know who Lando Calrissian is, shut it down! Star Wars is something that all men should have at least a working knowledge of. Incomplete (or nonexistent) knowledge of the Star Wars universe is an indicator of not only a complete denial of popular American culture but also of paranoid-schizophrenia.

One who doesn't know at least the fundamentals of Star Wars is completely missing out on a key part of Americana. This may be due to poor parenting, being too popular in school, or being home schooled and, ladies, I know that you would never seriously date or marry a "person" who experienced any of these conditions.

I suggest using the Star Wars as a personality litmus test. Just know that a "man" who has ignored the Star Wars universe is no man at all. Ladies you have some leeway, but men love a girl who appreciates how cool Boba Fett is.

Also, guys who wear baseball caps in situations where it is not called for are jerks, (e.g. a classroom setting, or other places that aren't outside) seriously fellas, buy a comb.

Oh, and guys who wear white-framed sunglasses inevitably have copious amounts of debt. Be forewarned.

Old Folks

Man, old folks rock. Sure they can't drive safely, don't understand technology¹, and they eat up what is left of our failing medical system by spurning the Grim Reaper's attempts to remove them from this mortal coil, but in them is a wealth of knowledge and experience that you can't get anywhere else.

This semester I am taking a class on the Vietnam War. In this class is a plethora of geezers who lived through the thing. There are a couple of them who served in World War Two, one who served in Korea, and a couple who served in Vietnam itself (which makes me want to take a class on the history of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars [read "liberations"] when I'm an old fart). They offer an amazing perspective on the history behind the war and the events leading up to it. It is great to hear them speak of the Generals as if they knew them. Shoot, these guys liberated Paris, jumped into Holland, waded ashore at Inchon, and fought house to house in Hue.

Another old fart pal, is my buddy Donald. I was in the Salt Lake Temple in December and this relic and I kibitzed with each other the whole time. He's a retired oral surgeon, and when I say he looks old, I mean he probably learned dentistry from Pierre Fauchard himself. A few weeks later I ran into him again and we were able to discuss some more gospel principles. What a great old guy, a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, just ripe for the harvest (apparently it's some sort of info crop)!

Having a golden-aged pensioner to cheat off of during the tests of life is a sure way to get ahead! Find an old-timer near you...

1: I went to a fireside a few weeks ago which had a good amount of elderly, and you should have heard the phones going off. It seemed to be the perfect storm of not understanding how to use technology, having the volume set WAY too high (for their old ears), forgetting where they put their phones. It was amazing!!

"Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."

-Conan O'Brien

Fans.

 I hate fans. I hate partisans. I hate zealots. I hate anybody who takes anything too seriously. If you take anything too seriously, relax, breathe. Life will resume after the game, the election, or whatever.

Sports fans are the ones that come to mind first, probably because they are the largest¹ and most obvious. Real fans never miss an opportunity to dig on an opponent, especially a rival.

I am all for rooting for your team of choice, but does the fact that my team wears shiny green and purple tights make them better than your team's red and cerulean uniform? Or is it the city that makes a team great? The Cavaliers seemed to have disproved that in the past. But the Lions... oh those poor Lions.

Perhaps it is that we live pitiful lives, surrounded by mediocrity and impotence, driven to the brink every day; wondering if there is a reason to go on living, leading us to grasp at anything offering us a sliver of hope? This seems likely. This is why I get updates, daily, on Stellan Smothersby’s “average runs batted in the end zone for three points in overtime"² statistics. 

Partisans, or whatever you want to call them, are awful too. Thinking that their political ideology is the one and true way to govern³, they use powerful rhetoric to "prove" their point. Often times they draw conclusions⁴ that happen to fit the facts, ignoring dozens of other instances and possibilities with almost identical facts. There are those who claim you are ignorant when you do not subscribe to their views. Others call you a terrorist when you do not join their camp.

The best part about these folk is how little information they actually present. Take this for example: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/48455/. The main piece of information I was able to glean from this was that they now sell under roos with leaves on them to cover your privates during an airport body scan. There was nothing else of any actual value.

I’m going to wrap this up before I get upset. (It turns out that the thing that I take WAY too seriously is "people taking things too seriously"). Suffice it to say, when you like anything too much you ruin it for the average Joe. When you go too far with anything, and I mean anything, you look like a child, and people get hurt⁵.

1: In circumference.
2: ARBITEZFTIO; German for "Free bird," the song.
3: Or, not govern, if that is their choice.
4: With the aid of chalkboards
5: See: The Crusades, Radical Islam, probably Regular Islam, The Spanish Inquisition, Communism, Capitalism, Fascism, The Westward Expansion, Manifest Destiny, MySpace, Jersey Boys and much, much more.

Link of interest: http://www.newscholars.com/papers/Killing,%20Christianity,%20and%20Atheism.pdf

Seriously? No, NOT seriously!

I have never, really, been bullied. In school I always managed to fly under the mean kids' radar, or at least use my cutting wit to disarm them before they could pick on me. I was able to "cross the aisle" by being active in sports and nerddom¹. Thus making it known that I was cool to everyone (or no one?).

This all changed recently when I began to be picked on on Facebook. It is true. I make hilarious remarks (see above: cutting wit) that are packed with political intrigue, news of the day, pop culture references, and ironic racism². While my above par comments are, generally, received well by the masses, there are a few who refuse to admit hilarity when it strikes.

People sometimes accuse me of being "Politically Incorrect", "racist" or even "dumb." Dumb! I am none of these things (just ask my mother, I'm great). But to people who take things far too seriously, I often come off this way. People, I am joking. I am almost always joking. I joke at work, I joke at church, I joke at funerals, I joke whilst smooching, I joke in almost every conceivable situation. Rest assured, if something I said angers you, you need to relax³.

Why, you may ask, do I joke so much? As Oscar Wilde once said "Life is too important to be taken seriously." The difference between Hitler's Germany and the USA is that we are allowed to poke fun at our countries leaders. The difference between Stalin's Russia and our beloved country is that we recognize and exploit the fact that mustaches are ridiculous. The difference between the Taliban/Al Qaeda and the Land of the Free is our Sense of Humor! 

When you can laugh at yourself, you can learn from your mistakes.  When a group of people can self-ridicule it keeps them humble. When a country can taunt itself for it's preposterous people it tends to allow more freedom for the masses.

The enemies of freedom are not jealous of our freedom, they are jealous of our sense of humor. When we take ourselves too seriously, the terrorists win. 

1: ie German Club and Ice Hockey, etc.

2: Not at ALL like actual racism. Mostly designed to make fun of those of the racist persuasion.

3: Or: Lighten Up!