More Examples:

1 2

I see this everywhere. Hidden or transparent monochrome American black flags on large trucks or 4-Runners. Usually speeding or driving aggressively on the highway.

I found this:

The black and white American flag originated during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. It was created as an opposing symbol to the white flag, which symbolizes surrender. Confederate army soldiers flew the black flag to demonstrate they would not give in or surrender to the enemy. It showed that they would rather be killed than taken in as prisoner.

And this:

Sometimes soldiers show respect for their country by using the black version on their vehicles

My question is for the people doing this. What message are you trying to send? Are you openly telling your coworkers and neighbors that you are still supporting the South in a war that ended long ago? Are you low key showing your support for Trump? Are you ex military showing support for your country? I ask because at least for me, the message is unclear.

  • PM_ME_VINTAGE_30S [he/him]@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
    42·
    1 year ago

    For me, the flag just represents the sacrafice made by military members and the ability of the people to make meaningful changes to our country.

    Then find a symbol that obviously represents that. The flag is the adopted symbol of the empire that spread(s) death and despair to funnel resources and power into the coffers of the bastards on top, all supposedly on our behalf. It is that very flag and those people who blindly serve it that make meaningful change impossible in this country.

    I just hope those people understand that it doesn’t mean that to me.

    Emphasis mine. Now my opinion (that there is no good reason [1] to display the American flag so long as the flag represents the US government or anyone who serves it) is probably not mainstream, but I think it is a lot closer to the average person’s experience of the flag. Most Americans have been fucked over somehow by our government, and will be for the foreseeable future. Your experience has been okay, and I hope that it continues to be okay for you, but most people are not in that boat.

    For many people, myself included, that flag represents death to me, my friends, and several of my family members.

    Sorry if I sound jaded, but I really wish people would stop conflating nationalism with affinity for their community. Patriotism is clearly (at least in my view) a nationalist ploy to identify the “will of the nation,” e.g. the goals of the people who run it, with the actual needs of the people who live there. We have nothing in common with the rulers other than that we breathe air.

    I beg you to find a different symbol to show your love for the community. I made a comment about how this particular flag isn’t any weirder than any other flag, and I stand by that, but it is still a deeply strange gesture to wear a national flag, and I’m tired of pretending otherwise.

    [1] Except for educational purposes, and we could probably find other examples.