On Mon, 15 Oct 2001, kelley wrote:
> i'd like to reiterate this: please explain what's wrong with
> reappropriating the flag to symbolize another aspect of "american-ness"
>
If we try to reappropriate a symbol, there is no way to make sure it symbolizes another aspect on "american-ness", is there? The public will tend to treat it as a reiteration of the old meanings.
A more blatant example: I wave a confederate flag because I want it to recreate it as a symbol of the dignity and power of African American slaves. No matter how hard I try to shift the symbolic meaning, it would be tough ideological work to pull this off. Perhaps the problem is not so hard with the stars and stripes, but it's a real problem nonetheless.
Miles