> I'm pretty mystified why any Leftists would suggest that we activists
> start waving the flag. You guys already know the U.S.'s history of
> intervention, genocide and violence around the world. The American flag
> stands for jingoism, we-versus-them, capitalism, and so on. It's no
> coincidence that the biggest venues for flag-waving and patriotism these
> days are sporting events. What better venue for a philosophy that
> promotes domination, racism, and nationalism?
So those who protested Jim Crow segregation/apartheid and US violence in Southeast Asia were jingoist fools for displaying the flag in demos and marches? Does the flag only represent racist elements? Too bad you weren't there to advise Martin Luther King on his reactionary behavior.
As for the flag, nationalism and sports, you might check out my book, "American Fan: Sports Mania and the Culture That Feeds It (HarperCollins/Spike, 2000).
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/books/038097732X/review s/103-8386860-7484604
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