Gautam Mukunda wrote: ... > > Katha Pollitt, among many other things, famously > forbade her daughter from flying an American flag > after September 11th because it was a symbol of, IIRC, > jingoism and hate. > > If that _doesn't_ bother you, then it explains why the > left has no traction in the United States.
Where have you been? Everybody uses symbols differently, of course. But I saw many flying the flag who seemed to do so out of some mix of patriotism, jingoism and hate. (Anyway, they would say things like "Kill all Arabs!") When others have contaminated a symbol with things one does not believe in, one reasonable response is to avoid using the symbol. (Another is to attempt to "reclaim" it, but either should be fair.) So her rhetoric is over-the-top, but her basic position doesn't seem too far out. ---David _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l