rhisiart at earthlink.net wrote:
>
> At 06:05 AM 11/27/2001, you wrote:
>
>
> with all due respects to your beloved, why allow the far right to
> coopt such a great flag? time the "good guys" took it back.
>
The meaning of a symbol is determined by the person construing it -- which has no _necessary_ connection with the intended meaning of the originator. And whatever "social construction" may mean, it certainly operates in the realm of symbol interpretation: which tends to be in some ways a very democratic realm. So the majority rules here, and I think you will find that a minority (except by _some_ use of violence) can seldom if ever wrest the meaning of a symbol from the majority. Blacks did it with "black" and "negro" in the '60s: I doubt it would have been achieved without the inner-city riots of that decade. And the change in the force of "gay" did begin with a riot.
The Snake Flag is a he-man symbol until a change is backed by extensive social force.
Those making these facile claims about taking back the meaning of various symbols really ought to read Through the Looking Glass.
Carrol