Or, at least it will be after the Inauguration on Tuesday, for at least the next four years. The flag once again is a beacon of hope and change, instead of oppression and stasis as it is any time a Rethuglican sits in the Oval Office. Sez so in the New York Times.
Or this young person.
Of course, around Castle Argghhh! we've always flown the flag, regardless of who sat in the Oval Office, and we even note some of our friends, from time to time.
Welcome back from the Wilderness of Despair and Oppression, kids.
Me? Nope, I'm not moving out, sorry. Just because my side lost doesn't mean I'm withdrawing from the game like a spoiled child.
Of course, some of us wear our flags on our sleeves. Regardless of who sits in the chair behind the desk in the Oval Office.
It's even cool to wave the Stars and Stripes. Like these young people, who took their flag waving seriously.WASHINGTON is suddenly hip again, infused with the heady double-barreled combination of a new crowd of idealistic young political worker bees, who actually believe they can change the world, and the arrival of America's first black president. It's even cool to wave the Stars and Stripes.
Or this young person.
Of course, around Castle Argghhh! we've always flown the flag, regardless of who sat in the Oval Office, and we even note some of our friends, from time to time.
Welcome back from the Wilderness of Despair and Oppression, kids.
Me? Nope, I'm not moving out, sorry. Just because my side lost doesn't mean I'm withdrawing from the game like a spoiled child.
Of course, some of us wear our flags on our sleeves. Regardless of who sits in the chair behind the desk in the Oval Office.
An Iraqi child talks to a Soldier assigned to the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, while the platoon was on dismounted patrol through Sadr City April 1. The Gimlets provide a constant presence in the area to ensure the safety of the Iraqi people.
Well the preconditions to me are; He's educated and quite clever. He's got public support and a 'mandate' for change. Public support is fickle. His opponents at many levels are weak.
It suggests he might overextend his power.
But the US has over these last few years made a mistake about Presidency. Presidents are very important but they have been treated too much as beyond people. They are not gods with perfect behaviour, great wisdom and the perfect answer to every problem. They are humans with all the usual human strengths and weaknesses.
Forgetting that worries me. Australia really needs a strong US. Please recall the real power, the real heart and the real hope is with the citizens of the US not your Presidents. They can lead but it's up to you where the country goes.
Heh. Kinda like Carlos Mencia sez - let's give Obama four years, follow him with an Asian woman who happens to be jewish, and then a latino. I say follow up that with an atheist.
We can then start making jokes about everybody again.
As we begin to move out, did you notice the focus? Why on the journey itself? Where is all of the time relevant stuff, like past, present and future? This Great Nation is on a 230+ year journey, we are also the product of that same history and the same history of traditions. Today is yesterday's future and tomorrow's history. We can learn from our past, if we are wise. But, we will never outrun our history, no matter where we are focused. History is our teacher and we will be graded. It does not matter what I say or write, but it does matter what she says. Pardon the pun, but, she is an "old school" teacher. If you had one in your life, you know exactly what I'm saying. I had one, tough as nails, started teaching in 1900. No, she did not mark on a "curve."
Grumpy
It all depends on the context.
But MORE problematic is, who IS Barack Hussein Obama? Uncommited to deep values, he mouths platitudes, stages who he would like us to believe he is, ie Greek Columns, Lincoln Bible, Lincoln Monument, etc. From my viewpoint, he is shallow, vacuous. He knows how to play people (organize) and put them in the little boxes that support his facade. How do I know? One example will do. The protection of (some) American lives are above his pay grade. (a job he has sworn to do when he takes the presidential oath) A person with a soul, with strength of character, and a fierce defense of the defenseless would NEVER allow such a grotesque, barbariic destruction of humans, on his watch. And explains he comes to this conclusion to insure" his daughters would not be punished for becoming pregnant! " Hmmmm, I wonder if Michelle Obama were to get pregnant whehter he would consider the products of the pregnancy as dear as his precious little girls? Hmmmm. Or is 'his' more dear than 'others' Nothing he does will disuade me from my evaluation. No matter how great he does his job, his approval of abortion and especially, partial birth abortion, shame will be his legacy. He has neither the character or the ability.
Sorry, Ms. Pelletier, that's the anti-comment-spam filter at work. You posted your comments too close together. I've done the same thing, after I post one and suddenly have something else to share.
By now, you should be fine.
It's a balancing act, sorry you got caught in it.
Also, Bush also kicked out the UN weapons inspectors, who were on the ground and DOING THEIR JOBS in his RUSH TO WAR in Iraq.
Proof?
Google:
"U.S advises weapons inspectors to leave Iraq"
Sadly Obama's not likely to fix Bush's mess... it's too deep.
Situational Patriots Suck
(I don't know if you made that phrase up or heard it somewhere, Raoul, but it fits the situation to a T.)
I'm curious why you single out New Zealand. The links are a bit unusual too: the Australian red ensign is usually reserved for commercial shipping, while the Canadian red ensign was replaced by the Maple Leaf flag over 40 years ago. What's the reasoning behind that?
Jasper - long and convoluted, truly.
I know the history of all of 'em.
Around here, many of my Canadian readers had a nostalgic preference for the Red Ensign, as a harkening back to a different era in Canadian history - as some US folks have a penchant for the numerous flags of the revolution. I also have a Maple Leaf, I just don't happen to have a photo of it.
The Red Ensigns were more than just the "commercial shipping" colors. They technically are what all non-governmental users are supposed to fly, with the Blue Ensign being the flag of government agencies, and the White Ensign the naval battle flag.
I have both versions of the Australian flag. One of my readers threatened cyber-violence if I flew the Kiwi Red Ensign. Murray's like that.
I fly the appropriate colors on appropriate days, next to the US flag, and replacing the Kansas flag.
So, if I'm honoring a fallen Canadian soldier, for example, the Maple Leaf flies. For observances of appropriate military events, the Blue Ensigns of New Zealand or Australia would fly, such as on ANZAC Day. Oddly enough, when commemorating Vimy Ridge, for example, I fly the Red Ensign, as that was the color Canadians fought under during WWI.
Did that help?
However, *your* ilk has a helluva track record in squeaking that it *doesn't* belong to *you* unless someone whose ideology you prefer is in the Oval Office.
Sorry, but you can't kick somebody out of someplace you don't *own*. Disagree? Walk up behind a patron of your local gin mill and try to evict him from his barstool and see how well it goes for ya.
Sadly Obama's not likely to fix Bush's mess... it's too deep.
Which mess would that be, pray tell?
*feral grin*
Ahhhhhh -- the 'Strine pronunciation of "dinky dau!" Haven't heard that in almost forty years!
Another fine example of Leftist tolerance, sophistication and maturity.
He does have a scat-orientation though, doesn't he? Musta hadda tough time in the potty training department or something.
Sad that's the best he had, though, and didn't offer up anything, oh, substantial in the way of adding to the conversation. He's an example of the basest form of troll, a pooflingter.
Unfunny, ineloquent, sans substance. A trifecta of truculent tripe.
Basically, you're saying you're a proud 'Murican reagardless of whichever scumbag sits in the oval office, and whoever is the scumbag in chief has little effect on whether you are proud. You know, a self-actualized citizen
Tsk. how do they get out of the 4th grade with such poor reading skills? But, I bet you he can tell us all about Julio Ceaser Chavez-- all those multi-cultural classes they make you take from primary thru college-- and has great self-esteem.
Oh, and David, you idiot - 9/11 was set in motion long before Bush took office. There were terror attacks on US soil (embassies, posts, and ships count here) EVERY year of the Clinton administration. Do you remember Somalia? How about the first attack on the WTC? Kenya? USS Cole? Oklahoma City? Any of these ring a bell?
Clinton's effort in the War on Terror? Cruise missiles in an aspirin factory and a Chinese embassy. His people caused the wall of separation between the intelligence service (thank you Jamie Gorelick!) that disallowed sharing of the terrorist whereabouts in the US prior to 9/11. KSM has also indicated this in his debriefings. He even had the chance to kill Bin Laden, and admitted he didn't take it.
So whose mess is this again?