A Rant Against The Offensiveness Of Tacky Patriotism

The following is an old bit of writing I created in September 2006 when I was still an anarcho-capitalist responding to someone whining, “I find the plastering of the United States flag all over clothing and tacky merchandise offensive. One may express a form of pride (or a desire to sell merchandise to those who feel such a form of pride) while the other expresses anger or even hatred, but I personally find this flag-plastering as distasteful as flag burning.”

The United States flag does not offend me. Why would I be offended at a piece of cloth or some artistic rendering? That would be silly. However, I do want to get rid of countries, with their arbitrary borders, and the mentality that sustains them. So ultimately I am looking to get rid of the collectivist manifest destiny nationalistic nonsense that is represented by the US flag. I will not dawn a US flag or engage in any flag worship of any kind, but if other people want to act silly and let themselves be brainwashed that is fine. Just don't expect me to be silent when that brainwashing has real world consequences attached to it. I am not offended by your silly little symbols. Squabble about which ones offend you and which ones don't. Wave them around and plaster them on whatever you like. We don't have a right not to be offended.

The flag is kind of pretty isn't it? You have been conditioned through all sorts of behavior modification to associate warm, happy feelings of pride, awe, joy, and inspiration at the sight of it. You hear the National Anthem start up and it is an automatic response to jump up and stare at that flag waving hypnotically in the wind and worship the powerful authority figures that it represents. You have people that would beat a fellow human being if they were burning the flag or flying it upside down. I am not offended by some clueless, harmless schmuck who wears a USA flag t-shirt, baseball cap, pin, and boxer shorts as a “beautiful” matching outfit. All it would tell me is the level of intelligent thought I can expect from that person. I am offended by what is perpetrated in the name of those symbols. Individuals that commit evil and help sustain systems of coercion offend me.