Respect The Flag

[Demolition Squid]

Honestly, I almost feel like just that image is enough. There's so much I want to say just inspired by that flag.

I love it dearly. It sums up so much about what a flag is, when other flags just leave it implicit. This flag says: We are bound together by blood and violence. Without the AK-47 assault rifle, this flag would not exist. The country would not exist. We accept that, we glorify it. We are proud of it.

Countries are built on people trying to convince you that you've got more in common with them than Those People. Those other people, with their different flags and different leaders. You don't associate with THOSE people; they've got different colors. They think different things are important. People have fought and died for these colors and these beliefs. Your flag says you are on this team.

There aren't many countries which so completely embrace being born in the modern age. A shared history lends legitimacy to the nation, and people like to call back hundreds of years or more if they can. It helps us feel like the nation is a 'real' thing. Because if a lot of people have believed the same thing for a long time, it feels more acceptable than it would otherwise.

This is also at least part of the reason, as the Soviet Union collapsed, old grudges which had been suppressed when everyone was part of the USSR (or would be shot for being different) came back full force. When we are all wearing the same flag, its fine. When you're wearing the flag your great-great-great-great-great grandfather was wearing when he stabbed mine, I'm going to stab you.

But this flag wears its story openly, and to eyes used to seeing flags that try not to wear violence out there for everyone to see, it looks ridiculous. Most people look at it and assume it is some sort of sick joke. Actually, I think it is one of the most honest flags I've ever seen, and one which might accurately represent a true struggle of a people, with a true shared history, in a way that older countries have forgotten.

Maybe every generation should redesign its nation's flag, put together something that they feel really says something about them, rather than just trying to continue on with the old one because that's what it was a hundred years ago. We're asked to respect the flag because it says something about us... but does it? How many flags were designed in countries that now resemble anything like the state they were in when they were first made?

I suspect not very many.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Very interesting.

I know what MY design of the flag would look like.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Important question- is that a holy book, an instruction manual for your AK-47/tomahawk, or a statement that or revolution is built on book learnin' and intellectualism?

[Demolition Squid]

According to Wikipedia...

Green stands for the riches of the land, the white fimbriations signify peace, black represents the African continent, yellow symbolizes the country's minerals, and red represents the struggle for independence. The rifle stands for defence and vigilance, the open book symbolizes the importance of education, the hoe represents the country's agriculture, and the star symbolizes Marxism and internationalism.

So kind of book learnin' but not specifically for revolution. Just generally they want people to know they are pro-education.

Fun fact, the first few people I showed the flag to completely failed to notice the book and hoe at all.

And... I'd love to see that flag, Roger.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I've honestly never seen that flag before, but I kinda love it too. It is honest.

To take the old stars and stripes, silver stars represent democratic republics, one for each republic in the union (states, in other words). Blue, I think is supposed to represent liberty or some shit. Red is supposed to represent the blood shed for that blue. Maybe not in the American one.

But isn't that the point? Other than the amount of states that we have now (50 stars) vs the amount we originally had (13 stripes) what the hell does our flag mean?

Or, take Ireland's. Green is Catholic. Orange is Protestant. White is supposed to represent the peace between them for the common goal of Irish republicanism. Honest? Maybe at first when republicanism wasn't so sectarian and our intellectuals were largely educated Protestants. Still valid? Heh. Debatable.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

According to Wikipedia...

Green stands for the riches of the land, the white fimbriations signify peace, black represents the African continent, yellow symbolizes the country's minerals, and red represents the struggle for independence. The rifle stands for defence and vigilance, the open book symbolizes the importance of education, the hoe represents the country's agriculture, and the star symbolizes Marxism and internationalism.

So kind of book learnin' but not specifically for revolution. Just generally they want people to know they are pro-education.

Fun fact, the first few people I showed the flag to completely failed to notice the book and hoe at all.

And... I'd love to see that flag, Roger.

I thought the hoe was an axe of some sort.

The gold star makes sense. Usually a gold star on a red background implies but one thing.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

That's cool though. More flags need books.

"Learning is your patriotic duty."

[The Good Reverend Roger]

According to Wikipedia...

Green stands for the riches of the land, the white fimbriations signify peace, black represents the African continent, yellow symbolizes the country's minerals, and red represents the struggle for independence. The rifle stands for defence and vigilance, the open book symbolizes the importance of education, the hoe represents the country's agriculture, and the star symbolizes Marxism and internationalism.

So kind of book learnin' but not specifically for revolution. Just generally they want people to know they are pro-education.

Fun fact, the first few people I showed the flag to completely failed to notice the book and hoe at all.

And... I'd love to see that flag, Roger.

on a baby-shit yellow background.