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Top Comments: Flag Conversations Edition [1]

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Date: 2025-06-30

As we head towards July 4th, I had thought about doing a patriotic/protest music diary, but a conversation we had here at Casa Brillig has been on my mind for several weeks, and after an exchange on social media with a friend, I knew what my topic was tonight.

Two weeks ago for our local No Kings event, I made a protest sign but Mr. Brillig had a different plan. He brought himself in a No Kings shirt, and an American flag. He said it was important to him for our country’s flag to be there for two reasons… first, because we are taking action because we ARE patriotic Americans, and second, because it both is that much harder for a fascist to take action against someone literally holding the flag they claim to be supporting and also much better optics when a patriotic flag-waving white dude American is roughed up and arrested by thugs.

As we were getting ready to leave, K2 noticed the flag and asked why we were bringing it.

“I thought the flag was kind of a conservative thing now”

We explained that no, neither side “owns” patriotism or the flag, and that in fact we feel that if you claim to be a patriotic American when you don’t even understand or follow our own founding documents, you’re not really patriotic. He asked a couple of other questions, and then we were on our way. It was a really good discussion, and I’m glad he raised the issue so we could help him combat the pervasive misinformation about Who Is Patriotic.

Fast forward to this past weekend, when a friend said on social media “I’ll be wearing black this July 4th”. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely understand that feeling. I’ve worn more black since November 5th than I have in quite some time. I’m disgusted, depressed, and disheartened by how far this vile authoritarian government has diminished my country.

BUT… it’s my country too. I replied to my friend “I will also be flying a flag because I refuse to cede patriotism and my country to fascist traitors.” And so we’ll be flying an American flag outside our house for the first time. Even in the aftermath of September 11, we wrapped our porch in red white and blue streamers but did not fly a flag. But we will have one up this week and keep it up. It will hold space with our Black Lives Matter sign and our rainbow banner. Because we ARE Patriots, and we want our America back.

After I queued this, I saw Oliver Willis’ FP diary American pride hits new low under Trump—just in time for July Fourth. It brought up something I hadn’t addressed in my draft. I may not get my words exactly right, because it’s a complicated concept in my tired brain. When I talk of being patriotic, I don’t mean being proud of being an American as though it’s better than being a citizen of any other country. As Lloyd Stone’s words to the tune Finlandia go, “My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,And sunlight beams on clover leaf and pine.But other lands have sunlight too, and clover,And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.” Instead, I’ve been proud of what America has despite all its white supremacist flaws done. Stood for. This MAGA Republican regime has torn that to shreds. And yet I work for and hope that in my lifetime, we can not only recover from this but also do BETTER. BE better.

At the 2011 Netroots Nation conference in Minneapolis, singer-songwriter Jill Sobule (who we lost recently in a house fire, may she rest in power) performed a song that had I stuck to my original music theme, I would have included. As we segue to the Tops, let me leave you with it…

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