Today’s New York Times piece by John Branch on big American flags belongs to a genre perhaps invented by the Grey Lady (see, e.g., the paper’s elitist coverage of suburban chain restaurants), in which the paper attempts to explain the alien culture of the United States to its core readership:
Once the gaudy lure of attention-seeking car dealerships or other roadside attractions, big flags have found a comfortable home inside the ballparks, arenas and raceways of American sporting events.
***
The trend began nearly 25 years ago, spiked after 9/11 and now seems simply part of the cultural backdrop in American sports. Where there is a big game, there is a big flag, often the size of the playing field itself.
Far too big for a pole, the flags raise something else  the question of whether a bigger flag is a more patriotic one, or just a bigger one.
Ummm… not really. That is a “question” posed by the sort who finds a large American flag to be a “gaudy lure” and is made uncomfortable by any display that might “elicit a sense of awe and nationalism in the surrounding crowd.” The proper term there would be “patriotism,” which is something most Americans like. Most Americans probably prefer a big display when viewed from a stadium seat, for that matter. That such is a matter of a thinly disguised contempt dressed up as hipster anthropology tends to explain why the paper’s circulation and influence is increasingly limited to those who enjoy that type of deadpan snark on Independence Day.
Update: More than 1,200 soldiers reenlisted in Baghdad today. A big American flag was spotted.
Gee. All the smart people know that contempt for the United States and its symbols and traditions are the hallmark of high mindedness.
Inviting a liberal to say anything patriotic is like asking someone with a known bladder control problem to a pool party
You know they’re just gonna spoil it for evryone.
– “Big Flags”…. Eeeeewwww…..How smarmy and “old people” is that….yuk”
“Every great wave of popular passion that rolls up on the prairies is dashed to spray when it strikes the hard rocks of Manhattan.”
— H. L. Mencken
Count me amongst the jingoistic big flag fans. They do the field sized flags at the Colts games, and for the nationally televised games usually combine that with an eagle flying around inside the dome.
The village of nobles where we reside has a ginormous flag in a park about a mile from here. You can see it for miles, and is a great landmark.
Noblesville was one of the coolest places to see the Dead. The locals actually opened up one of the parks for free camping the couple times I was there, and I seem to recall a steel train play structure in the middle of it named “Casey Jones”. It makes me smile that you live there JD.
As to big flags, I’m for ’em. Not so much the NY Times.
I suppose we could remind the Branch and his editors that yes, it is your flag too, but that level of inclusiveness is not really what they have in mind. What with being our betters an all…
Maybe he should renew is passport, head down to Washington DC and take a peek at the Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian. That’s one big assed flag.
I heard it flew over the largest Baltimore area Chevy dealership, and their commercial jingle became somewhat famous for a while.
This article strikes me as a sort of casual bemusement at the “exotic” trend of large flags which has no significant historical context for its existance. It also strikes me as reaching for a topic and making a feeble, grasping attempt to pump some kind of “thought interest” into what 90% of Americans take as a matter of course. When was the last time you drove past a a big flag and stopped to wonder “what it means, being so big?” No, it’s our nation’s symbol and most of us just note “man, that’s a big assed flag,” and duly feel a tinge or more of pride in country and then go about our business.
The author errs in thinking that anyone outside of the wine sipping elites in his book club give a rat’s ass what the trend to bigger flags means. Perhaps he can be even more irrelevent by examining the growing size of puppet heads and whether ot not that indicates greater dissent or greater anarchy.
Edu Guy – That would be Forest Park, and the train is still there, and there is a small train museum there now too. Glad I could add to your flashback.
BJ – the only disturbing trend I have noticed lately is a sudden spike in midgets on tv.
If I were them, I’d be exploring the “exotic” trend exemplified by their cratering circulation numbers.
Haapy 4th of July, everyone. Have a hunk of dead cow, corn on the cob, an ice cold drink, and enjoy the time with your friends and family. While you are at it, say a prayer for Major John, wishbone, and everyone else that has so honorably served so as to make us the most free bad ass country the world has ever known.
I am jingoistic and xenophobic and all those other -ists and -isms.
Now, I have a small arsenal of fireworks to set off.
Will do, JD, in every respect.
Except I forgot to buy corn. Damn!
I’ll make up for it by going multicultural — we’ll have dead cow AND dead chicken.
– Could someone please point out to me when, if ever, in this sntire campaign before yesterday, the CandyMan ever once said “I’ve always said that the pace of withdrawal would be dictated by the safety and security of our troops and the need to maintain stability”, because if he did, that sentiment must have somehow escaped everyones attention.
– didn’t we just spend the last couple of months watching him and Hillery fight like to kids in an inflatable bouncy house clawing over each other to win the “I can surrender that country in fewer months than you can”, or is ObamaScam such a mystical figure hes not to be understood by the common mortal?
His camp is sallying forth with the “Nothing has changed concerning Mr. Obama’s position on the Iraq war” dodge.
– This guy is even more feckless and treacherous than Lurch was. Hes a lawyer and a Senator, now all he has to do is try his hand at snake oil or used car sales to achieve the liars club hat trick.
Good thing there are no gaudy lures on, say, Times Square.
NYC? Pure class.
Oh, and the beverages here will be Bass ale and Twinings tea — just to prove that we’re not holding a grudge.
Big American flags are too “in your face”. But now, say, a full-page ad that says something like “General Betray Us” – that’s something that just cries out for hugeness. Why can’t the NYT be big enough to stretch across a ball diamond? Happy 4th to all.
If you have any relatives that lean to the side of contempt for patriotism, remind them that they are free to be themselves because of our great military men and women who are constantly vigilant. Then whip an empty corn cob at them. Or a big handful of potato salad. Something.
Why does he have to be so gay all the time I don’t get it.
“Good thing there are no gaudy lures on, say, Times Square.
– Well actually there are, but they charge 10 bucks for a back alley zipper party.
– Jesse Helms cashed it in today. North Caroline politics won’t be the same.
“The department’s Web site says that fuel efficiency decreases rapidly when traveling faster than 60 mph. Every additional 5 mph over that threshold is estimated cost motorists an additional 30 cents per gallon in fuel costs, Warner said in his letter, citing the DOE data.”
That is whats called in the scientific community a fucking lie.
The thing that bugs me about some flag-waving is not the size, but the presentation. I don’t like seeing ragged flags hanging in rainstorms, flying unlit at night, and in other ways that just aren’t respectful. It may be defiant and patriotic to fly some torn-up thing from your car or motorcycle, but to me it looks unseemly as well. But there’s no way in hell I’d write a huge editorial about “unseemly” patriotism.
Happy you’re an American? So am I! Let’s party, celebrate what we are, and take a giant fucking break from nitpicking and wondering if someone you don’t like saying he wants to make the country better is some sort of huge unpatriotic dis of our forefathers. I’m going to drink beer, laze around, see a movie, finally get to the BOB even though it’s now called Chase Field to watch the Diamondbacks lose, wonder why the Padres went to a new ugliest uniform in baseball, experience an inartful much-excerpted musical rendition of “The Defense of Fort McHenry”, pay too much for some snacks, and watch fireworks. That’s America, and I love it!
No for real he’s a flagrant wig-powdering poofter.
My car gets better gas mileage at 75 mph. It is a demonstrable fact. So, that Warner older than dirt guy can shove it. 60 mph is a good speed for a pace lap though.
” Jesse Helms cashed it in today”
How could they tell?
Jesse Helms cashed it in today. North Caroline politics won’t be the same.
Should be an interesting funeral!
If my big flag show of patriotism offends the NYT and others, then I must make it bigger. People who go out of their way to be offended, though the skin is still intact on their nose, make me want to have fun with their neurotic obsessions, whether it’s the too-cool-to-be-American, muslims, or Democrats and other America-hating liberals. My 6′ x 8′ American flag stands protected on an eagle-capped pole on the covered front porch, lighted with 300 watts 24/7. The Blue-Star flag indicating a family member serving in the armed forces of The United States hangs on the front door. Inside, there are many Bibles and many guns, clingers that we are. I wonder today if there is still a “silent majority” in America who will step forward in November and be patriotic adults, sending Michele & Barry Obama and the NYT their termination papers?
Happy Independence Day. Fly the flag. Old Glory is central to many great, and a few terrible, memories for many of us. We veterans treasure those good memories and mourn the bad, and seeing that flag, displayed freely by free people, reminds us that the sacrifices are remembered and respected by some, but by Obama, Democrats, and the NYT, not so much. Celebrate Independence – it will offend the Left!!
You kind of get the feeling that the writer should be joining these folks shortly
[…] You may decide which story seems more edifying on this 4th of July. (HT: Protein Wisdom) […]
A flag flies 24/7/365 at our house.
It’s there as a constant reminder of what this country means to our family. And yes, it’s flown in accordance with protocol as best we can manage.
Lastly, I’d suggest that at some point during the festivities, all of you pause briefly and give thanks to all thoise who made this glorious day possible.
Also at Castle McGehee. All-weather flag, light-sensor floodlight.
I went to an company picnic in that park in Noblesville with the train about ten years ago. Feels longer than that.
I’m all bummed by flag presentation, too. Was in a good mood about the Brewers not choking today until I was on my way back to my car and came across half a dozen young shitheads wearing large flags as capes and small flags pinned to their shirts and shorts. Tad Lincoln’s Ghost! Actual flags are never to be worn, much less in a fashion that lends them to being sat on and dragged on the ground!!
I assume their parents and teachers never bothered to teach them basic respect for the flag; any high school kid who can afford to get that drunk at ballpark beer prices very likely has parents in the NY Times key demographic.
HF,
It’s just showmanship. Who cares what speed limit they set? Nobody, and I mean NOBODY pays any attention to the speed limit anyway.
Our Congtess is PACKED with imbiciles.
HF,
It’s not really about speed limits, it’s just showmanship. Who cares what speed limit they set? Nobody, and I mean NOBODY pays any attention to the speed limit anyway.
Our Congtess is PACKED with imbiciles.
That’s a good point, but still I’m glad he’s going away soon. What a useless piece of shit he’s been, and for years.
Thank you for your service, Senator Warner. Hah I’m just kidding. You’re useless, nauseating and likely incontinent. The world would be a better place if you had never been born.
The Dbacks lost, the song was sung in the “Much Mangled Manner”, I didn’t pay $10 for a beer, but the fireworks were great and much patriotism was displayed. Usually in the correct manner.
And what the hell happened in Denver last night? 17-16!? Did the teams get confused and join the AL after the recent interleague play?
#12 Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 7/4 @ 8:11 am #
If I were them, I’d be exploring the “exotic†trend exemplified by their cratering circulation numbers.
Thread winner!