Jingo jangle
In today’s West Australian:
BRIAN COXE (Burning our flag is treason, 19/9) writes that “flag burning is the worst form of disrespect that anyone can show a country and its citizens”.
I disagree with his view. In a strange, almost paradoxical way, flag burners are showing greater respect for the flag and what it stands for than do many of those who wrap themselves in it on a regular basis.
At least the flag burners recognise the potency of the flag as a symbol of Australia’s democracy and freedoms. The burning flag represents the incineration of Australia’s democratic values, be it by our treatment of asylum seekers, our participation in the Iraqi war, or whatever the cause of the day might be.
On the other hand, those who shriek loudest for the further erosion of our hard-won freedoms show little respect for the flag. Anyone who drives down St Georges Terrace will notice the faded rags wrapped around the flagpoles at Anzac House, the RSL’s WA headquarters.
This is far more disrespectful to those who have fought and died under the flag. It doesn’t say “we believe the great nation you fought for is being damaged”, it simply says “we don’t care”.
Perhaps the RSL and the other jingoists should get their own house in order before they undermine the rights and freedoms our flag represents.
ROBERT CORR, Greenwood.
Wait a minute, did I just accuse the RSL of not caring about the servicemen who died in combat? Hmm, that might get a reaction…
Let us know what the reactions are…
Let us know what the reactions are…
doubtful, Rob. There’s a certain truth in what you say.
In a strange, almost paradoxical way, Freedom is actually Slavery.
He didn’t say flag-burners have respect for the flag. Just that they respect it and “what it stands for” — presumably Australian values — more than the RSL does. Certainly setting fire to a flag is taking somewhat less care for it than simply letting it fade in the sunlight, but at least, seems to be the thrust of Rob’s letter, it’s a deliberate act. At least those who think they can get people onside by setting fire to the Australia flag (ha!) are taking an interest in the thing.
(Not saying I agree, just that, while not entirely correct, it makes sense).
Why on earth would anyone want to burn the Australian flag??
Actually Yobbo you have just cottoned on to what Christianity is all about.
Well, you’re nearly right, but you are still wrong. If you spit on someone, you might be fully cognizant of their humanity, but you are showing them no respect. Flags carry enormous baggage in terms of symbolism, just as you say, and there is no way to burn a flag such that you show disrespect to just a few specific values that you disagree with. Not even the context in which you do it will allow that. The symbolism of burning a flag is to show contempt for everything that a nation’s peoples invest in it, good or bad. Sometimes that is useful, more often it’s not.
Burning a flag is a shock tactic. It is an action intended to attract attention by its audacity, after which a message might be delivered. The problem is, it’s an ineffective method of delivering the message, because the process of gaining attention has already alienated the most relevant section of your audience (that is, people who you need to convince) — leaving you merely preaching to the converted. There are better ways to shock, and less lazy ways to deliver a message than to shock.
I used to be anti-patriotic, I used to liberally quote Johnson’s “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” These days, I consider myself a patriot, even if many of my fellow patriots would not call me one. Here’s where you’re nearly right: being patriotic involves caring, passionately, about the nation you live in, or were born in. Caring, as far as nations go, doesn’t mean loving unconditionally — it means loving what appeals to you about the nation, and wanting (and striving) to improve what you don’t like about it. I considered angrily protesting Australia’s involvement in the second Gulf War to be a personal act of patriotism — it showed that I cared what was being done in its (our) name. Burning a flag, in my view, fails to meet this test.
Good comment, Joseph.
I think it’s important to distinguish between patriotism (love for one’s country) and nationalism (jingoism and sheer idiocy). Just because someone’s patriotic doesn’t mean they’re a mindless sheep.
PING:
TITLE: It’s Because We Love You
BLOG NAME: A Yobbo’s View – Sam Ward
Rob Corr waxes retarded on flag-burning, and how it’s just another way of expressing his love of Australia: At least the flag burners recognise the potency of the flag as a symbol of Australia’s democracy and freedoms. The burning flag…
PING:
TITLE: Easily Distracted
BLOG NAME: Whom Gods Destroy
Yet another ideological war appears to have broken out following Rob Corr’s observation “Jingo Jangle” over the flag burning issue…
PING:
TITLE: Burn the flag
BLOG NAME: The Road to Surfdom
Only $US9.95! I’m sending Rob Corr one for Christmas….