Better, I want to watch him explain to Europeans why, after years of zealous hyper-nationalistic flag worship, the GOP are trading their flag pins for AR-15 pins.

Fair enough, but outside the context of this particular incident, the US, in general, is still INSANELY sensitive to even the perception of lack of patriotism.

For example, back when he was just a primary candidate, Obama got in trouble for not wearing a flag pin. You just don't see that in other countries.

I think it's maybe due to the history of the US. It's still a (comparatively) young country, born out of rebellion and suddenly finding itself the most powerful nation on earth (mostly due to accidents of history and geography).

"Giant flag pin!"

Is anyone else sick of these lapel pins yet? It was bad enough when they became mandatory for candidates, but now the size escalation game?

Thanks @xxovercastxx and @Crosswords.

I've heard it said that Americans treat their flag like we (British) treat our monarchy, in that they're both the symbol of our nations. However, I don't know of anyone who particularly cares about our monarchy; I know there are people love them and a few hate them but most just shrug our shoulders and get on with real life. It seems that the American flag isn't treated with this apathy, but perhaps I only hear about nut-bugs (to varying degrees) because the 99% of normal Americans aren't newsworthy.

Obama's flag-pin is case in point: I heard about that, probably here on the Sift, and it seemed like half of America was up in arms at this "disrespectful" gesture, as if it mattered a damn. I realised that this was probably a small handful of far-right morons who generate a disproportionate amount of noise (e.g. Fox News). I've no idea actually how large a portion of the American public cared about his lapel.

Not that Britain doesn't have our own seemingly pointless moral/patriotic mobs, for example, the arbitrary whinge about not having war memorial symbols on England's football kit, which because a huge issue last November despite not having been an issue once before. It was a big deal in the shittier newspapers but if you'd polled the general population, I doubt many would have had a strong opinion.

FWIW, there's no actual patriotism in having a flag outside your house or in your press conference. Patriotism is personal sacrifice for national benefit, and flying a flag is neither. But this is a whole other kettle of plankton.

>> ^Quboid:

Serious question - do Americans respond well to things like that flag in the background?
If David Cameron came out and spoke in front of a massive Union Jack, I and many others would think it looks embarrassing, like he's trying too hard. The flags at the side would be fine; personally I could live without them but that's within the realms of each to their own.


More like they respond poorly to its absence. Back in the '08 election Obama said he wouldn't wear a flag pin on his lapel because words and actions should speak louder than hollow symbols. It didn't take him long to start wearing it again, and as far as I know he still does.

let's see....

Palin... check
One american flag pin... check
One american flag in the background... check
911 reference in the speech... check
Several religious references in the speech... check


Oh Palin, thank you. Thank you for making me hate the political class in my country just a little less, simply because even though they may be corrupt,incompetent, or simply a bunch of demagogs, there is no one in the political panorama here that can compare to how annoyingly BAD you are.

>> ^quantumushroom: On the plus side: Biden wears a flag pin.

The only true way to know someone is an American.

Do these marxberals have any other strategies other than the race card and class warfare?

Their tax scheme is the same poop that failed in the 1920s, failed again in the 1960s, and will fail yet again should enough voters fall for it.

On the plus side: Biden wears a flag pin.

the three flag pins is a funny touch that SNL should swipe and build on... have Obama with 2 flag pins on at the start of a debate (and asked about it he has some reason about them being given to him from some widows) and as they go along and the camera comes back to him he has more each time, eventually having a ridiculous amount and playing it off like he doesn't notice.

Ha ha ha, upvote for the last clip.

So you're not allowed to criticize your own country, and if you do, you're not patriotic? WTF?! That's just as stupid as the flag pin fiasco way back.

I hope to live to see the day when news corporations start reporting the news, rather than fabricating it. Actually, I'd rather see news corporations dismantled into non-private-interest organizations, but that's just as likely to happen as winged monkeys flying out of Bill O's ass.

The difference between a so-called idiot and a lamb being led to slaughter is that one will live to see the dawn.

Marxbama's got you all hooked on the dope of honey-tongued hope, without ever explaining what it means or what he intends to do.

Don't see enough difference between him and a true marxist to matter. He wants only the gummint to have the guns. He has a disdain for private property rights, wants to nationalize everything and boost taxes (of course) on "the rich" as if "the rich" live in a vacuum and won't simply flee and invest elsewhere.

He thinks he can dazzle middle-east nutjobs into peaceful doves, and for crying out loud, even if he was a total phony like Hillary, even if he secretly planned to burn the flag in the Oval Office, he doesn't have the common sense to wear the flag pin while running for the highest office in the land.

Obama believes the people live to serve government, so I'll settle for McCain the half-liberal over the near-total-marxist.

No I'm sorry, that's unacceptable.

Not knowing how many states there are is a clear sign that you lack the chauvinistic patriotism without which you clearly cannot be president. Had he only been wearing his trusty flag pin, he would have been able to look down and count how many stars were on it.

He also worships the devil. Did you know 57 is 609 away from 666? That's what you meant to say wasn't it? He's also a secret muslim, don't ask me how.

See, if only he had been up working at his desk at 3am, this would never have happened.

>> ^Drachen_Jager:
McCain doesn't wear a lapel flag. Huckabee didn't wear a flag pin. Clinton didn't wear a flag pin. Edwards didn't wear a flag pin. Romney didn't wear a flag pin. Why is this only an issue for Obama? When will an interviewer ask McCain why he doesn't wear a pin? Or at least Clinton!

It's cause Obama is Muslim, remember???

>> ^Tofumar:
Someone on another thread about this theme pointed out that there was a period from 2001-2007 where a flag pin could be reliably used as an asshole detector. Most people wearing them were doing it so they could sneer at--and feel superior to--their fellow Americans, and all the while they were cashing in on their faux patriotism to gain credibility in supporting policies which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis.


J.S. Mill speaks the truth.

On the video, some times pointing out the obvious is the best course of action.

It's pretty disheartening, but for me the flag has lost it's glory to the uber-patriotism bandwagon. When you see the the American flag on cell phone holders, pocket knives, and home pregnancy tests the integrity of America, and it's people is diluted.


>> ^Tofumar:
Someone on another thread about this theme pointed out that there was a period from 2001-2007 where a flag pin could be reliably used as an asshole detector. Most people wearing them were doing it so they could sneer at--and feel superior to--their fellow Americans, and all the while they were cashing in on their faux patriotism to gain credibility in supporting policies which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis.