Flags, Freedom, and Finesse

On the way in to work today, one of the local war supporters on the radio made a very good point: It doesn't matter whether you're for or against the war, if you're American it's your flag too. Don't let only the pro-war people claim the flag, and the patriotism it symbolises.

This is right. It's what happened in the Vietnam war, when the antiwar people let anti-war become synonymous with anti-American, anti-military and anti-flag. The fact that protest against the government is part of the American heritage, and is, in fact, embedded in the Constitution as the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights means that it's our flag too!
( read more mutterings )

So yes, protesters should fly the flag, at half mast, in mourning for those Americans killed by Bush's little adventure in imperialism.