One thing is that Americans tend to have a far more personal relationship with their flag than most other countries. It is, to the greatest extent, the one enduring symbol of their nation, it's their battle standard and the covering of their coffin when they've died for their nation. To a great extent, it IS the US. Remember that there's essentially no other universal symbol of the US, they've no royal family (Much as the Kennedy's, Clinton's and Bush's might aspire) and no other uniting symbols from the founding of their nation (Apart from perhaps the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but those are less symbolic than a flag). So the flag is more than a mere symbol of the country to most Americans, it's THEIR flag.
And kitsch is a very american thing. Doing such things demonstrates just how attached to the flag everyday Americans are. Or check out the lyrics to the song "Ragged Old Flag" by the Charlie Daniels Band which is a good demonstration of how many Americans feel about Old Glory(which is a nickname for the US flag). -Adam Tim Øsleby wrote: > I've been thing. Surprising isn't it ;-) > > I've been trying to figure out what actually made me curious. What makes > this scene exotic to me? > > I believe I have found the answer. In Norway we honour our flag too. We > honour it at our national day. You might go as far as saying it _is_ the > national day. We also use it to celebrate our monarchs when they have > birthday. We also celebrate our family and neighbours by flagging at their > birthday. We don't drape our coffins, but we do use it when in burial > ceremonies. > > What is different is that we don't paint it at fences. We have flagpoles for > the flag. For us painting it at a fence would be very close to dishonouring > the flag, making it kitsch. > > So. Basically I believe what I was trying to explore is these cultural > differences. > Reading the post above has told me a lot. But I still don't quite get it. > > > Tim > Mostly harmless (just plain Norwegian) > > > >> Fra: "Bob Sullivan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> Rob, >> >> It is an international forum, but our international subscribers >> overreach if they presume to tell us how to treat our national symbol. >> If they don't like our national policies and actions, so be it. They >> have a right to their opinions and hostility. >> >> Our non-US subscribers should know some things about the US flag. >> First, as our service men die and come home for burial, their parents >> and families see the flag covering their coffin as part of the final >> ceremony at grave side. It is a symbol of our country's gratitude for >> their sacrifice. >> >> Second, the US veterans of World War II are a band of brothers. The >> war experience molded their thinking and their attitudes as very young >> men. They are the oldest generation here in the US. >> >> These men lost their friends and brothers in North Africa, Europe, and >> the Pacific Theaters of the war. The flag draped coffin was a symbol >> to them and still is. As these men die now in their old age, and >> their brothers come with a flag to cover their coffin at the grave >> side and honor their service and willingness to risk their lives and >> youths to serve the national interests. >> >> My sister has the flag that covered my father's coffin. I have the >> flag that covered my uncle's coffin, my father's brother. My cousins >> have the flag that covered my other uncle's coffin, my mother's >> brother. Other cousins have the flag that covered their father's >> coffin, my aunt's husband. The men all served in WWII and lived to >> died of old age (70+). The familes agreed to honor their service by >> inviting their 'brothers' with the flags. >> >> Like Paul says, it is what it is. >> >> Regards, Bob S. > > > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
