Your options are to fly a flag or banner of your own, to express your own views directly or indirectly through a multitude of media, or to exercise your own freedom to keep your own thoughts to yourself....
“Tolerance” is a challenge to tolerate others’ freedom of expression, even if you find their actual views abhorrent. So when friends ask you what you think of your neighbor’s flag, you can say, “Well, every day when I see it, I’m forced to appreciate the First Amendment. So — God bless America!”
The flag is large — 10 feet above ground level — and in constant view, and the friends have been saying things like “I could get rid of that for you, ha-ha.” I just wonder what the flag says and whether Amy would give a different answer if she knew whether it was left or right wing. Here, ignorance of the message of the flag forced neutrality on Amy, and she took the high ground of First Amendment values which force government to be neutral when the message is known. But the letter-writer isn't forced to appreciate the First Amendment, though he/she could choose to cool down by contemplating the wisdom of its message. And wouldn't it be funny if the message on the flag — considered abhorrent and divisive — was "God Bless America"?
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"God bless America"
How many people don't believe in God?
How many curse instead of bless?
How many find America offensive?
Bayesian probability says 85% chance at least.
"Well, every day when I see it, I’m forced to appreciate the First Amendment."
Likewise, wouldn't it be funny if this was an American flag?
It's interesting that the assumption (at least by me) is that the letter writer is progressive and the flag is somehow conservative. Maybe it's a rainbow flag or an Iranian flag and the letter writer is a white supremacist. Does that affect my own suggested advice?
Chances are high that the complainant is a lefty.
Oh, come on. The letter is written by a person who reads (and solicits the advice of) a Washington Post advice columnist, and complains of "ideals that are aborrent," "divisiveness," and "hurtful implications." There is literally zero chance this is anything but a MAGA/FJB/LGB/Gadsden/Molon Labe flag. The only "other side" option is a LGTBQETC flag, but (1) "hurtful implications" is a tell, and (2) big, gaudy flags are much more on-Brand for MAGA.
A banner depicting lions, lionesses, and their unplanned cubs playing in gay parade.
"And wouldn't it be funny if the message on the flag — considered abhorrent and divisive — was "God Bless America"?"
Yes. It would also be funny if the flag said, "Fuck you".
I was struck that the noise of the flapping flag wasn't addressed more. That would drive me nuts.
If it's a Ukrainian flag it must be worshipped.
Btw, what about all of the BLM and 'In this house we believe...' signs plastered in every left-wing shithole city near me?
They are offensive.
Are "big, gaudy flags . . . much more on-Brand for MAGA"? That's not the impression I get in my small Appalachian town, which voted 51-49 for Biden - the surrounding county was 70%+ for Trump.
Just across from the main public library in town there is a little row of three upper-middle-class-looking houses with a cross-street at one end, a creek at the other end, and a couple of businesses across the street - like a tiny little separate neighborhood. The right-hand and middle houses are always flying a rainbow flag when I walk by, the left-hand house a Marine Corps flag. Judging from the fadedness of all three, they've been up every day for years. Every time I walk by I wonder which went up first.
The letter writer does not indicate that they are American. The First Amendment might not apply.
Remember the "Don't Tread On Me" Flag? It's called the "Gadsden" flag. The FBI considers people who fly that flag to be right-wing domestic terrorists. You can be put on a watch list for flying it.
Is the flag the Confederate Flag? Is the WaPo saying it's OK to fly the Confederate flag? At a rally? What if the rally is lighted by Tiki torches? Still OK to fly?
Is it the Nazi flag? Is the WaPo saying it's "free speech" to fly the Nazi flag? In front of a Planned Parenthood protest?
We all know the real truth and the real answer. If it's the "Pride" flag, well then you just have to tough it out. Suck it up, buttercup. God Bless America.
Pride Boy = Yes
Proud Boy = No
If it's a flag the "Progressives" don't like, you simply cannot fly it.
There is no Free Speech in the United States and we need to stop claiming that there is. It's destructive and sets people's expectations incorrectly.
Blue line flag?
Dear Letter-writer: Grow the fuck up. You're welcome.
Amy writes :"I am determined to envision this issue from a wide spectrum".
Uh-huh. She means "forced to be neutral and fair"
Personally, I think the complainant is a troll. I often imagine writing similar things, deliberately being vague about the "offense" specifically to see the reaction. What possible reason could a leftist have for not specifying that the flag is, for example, a blue line flag? They could not possibly imagine that any WaPo reader is going to take issue with such a complaint.
There will always be fascist shitheads in any group.
We are not doing enough to suppress these fascist shitheads.
All [Black] Lives Matter... Bigot! Pro-lifer! Bitter clinger. Some, Select [Black] Live Matter or SS[B]LM.
Trans/homosexual couplets are politically congruent ("=") to couples but not in multiplicity.
A pride parade less the lions, lionesses, and their unplanned cubs playing in gay revelry who are judged, labeled, and excluded from social progress.
I stand with Ukraine... west by east of Kiev.
Since it is people on the left whos very existence, opinion and direction depends on what someone in authority (sic) says, there's a 99.957 percent chance the letter writer is on the left.
Was it a pink or blue banner? We love them both as equal and complementary additions to our state of humanity. Cigars all around.
Amy is just some guy named Spratt
It is as hard to guess the politics of the letter writer as it is to guess the politics of somebody with pronouns and a Ukrainian flag in the bio.
Almost certainly a conservative oriented flag. The only flag the left seems to valu and would be offensive is as stated in other comments a LGBT one. And my experience with anyone who would fly a LGBT flag is that they are the kind of people who have the local SWAT team on speed dial and would call the cops on anyone who is not as "Diverse" as they are.
That said, in today's world, wouldn't most leftists just call the cops to force the flag down anyway instead of writing for advice? Don't the vast majority of today's leftists actively abhor free speech and tolerating anything but the soviet message? I mean, it's not like Inga or Howard (the insane one) would ask for advice from the WaPo... they'd be on the horn to the local police as soon as they saw the flag in the wrapper, before it was ever flown.
Just assume your neighbor is flying the Trump flag "ironically" and smile.
Do conservatives ever write to WAPO advice columnists, or any advice columnists, for that matter?
99.99% certain the letter writer is a leftist, and about 50% certain the flag in question concerns support for Trump in some manner. Other possibilities, it is a Confederate Flag, or a Don't Tread on Me flag.
Hateful and divisive. Hmmmm
Is it the Ohio Stare University flag?
A neighbor's fag? h/t NAACP, DNC, diversitists at large. The complaint was launched by someone who is clearly floraphobic, and a plausible... nay, probable, perhaps rabid, antiarborist.
"Chances are high that the complainant is a lefty."
High as certainty. I'm impressed that Amy actually gave a rational, perfectly reasonable and adult, answer.
I can drive the length of my town and see everything from a "Fuck Biden" flag to a rainbow-painted fence with all kinds of LGBT and BLM signs attached to it. It would never occur to me that I have any say in what the owners of either property wanted to display.
I bet it's "Fuck Biden".
Those flags exist. Someone with property next to the supermarket parking lot flies a large one. Even though I might appreciate the sentiment, I really don't want to see something like that.
Every year I hang bunting and fly the Betsy Ross flag for the month of July. It never ceases to amaze me that passerby's ask me what it means.
I also, occasionally fly the MAGA flag, but mostly the standard USA flag. After Biden's gates of Hells Leni Riefenstahl speech I ordered a Chiquita Banana Brand 5x3 flag. "Biden's America" is silk screen across the bottom. 99.9% of drive bys honk and give me thumbs' up.
"The letter writer does not indicate that they are American. The First Amendment might not apply."
Why would the First Amendment apply in the U.S. if it's just a private person with a flag on their own property? The neighbor isn't thinking of bringing in the government to stop him but only to think of what to say to him, perhaps to convince him to take the flag down.
You're absolutely right that the First Amendment wouldn't apply to a private individual. The columnist invoked it, though, as part of her effort to "envision a wide spectrum." I was simply being a little snarky and pointing out that she might not be envisioning widely enough. A Canadian homeowner would not be moved to think, "I’m forced to appreciate the First Amendment." Or "God Bless America," for that matter.
@Howard: LOL.
I just wonder what the flag says...
If this took place in Alabama it was probably either an Alabama or Auburn flag.
Diversity of individuals, minority of one. Reconcile.
Every year I hang bunting and fly the Betsy Ross flag for the month of July. It never ceases to amaze me that passerby's ask me what it means.
My Betsy Ross flag is up 24/7 with a light below to illuminate it. Nobody has mentioned it in the 5 years it has been up.
Howard said...
"Amy is just some guy named Spratt."
LOL. Bananas!
Imperial German Naval Ensign. I see them all over.
The First amendment applies to non-Americans just as much as it applies to Americans. It is, after all, a prohibition on the U.S. Congress, regarding speech regulations. I've always interpreted it to mean that Congress cannot restrict the freedom of speech of anyone, anywhere.
Gadsen flag.
I don't give a shit... I'll fly any flag I want at home... and if it somehow displeases people, tough nuts.
See I LIVE IN TEXAS.
COME AND TAKE IT!!
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
And who are the people??? Well in WE THE PEOPLE. That is everyone in the USA.
And if others don't like what we say... tough nuts!
The neighbor isn't thinking of bringing in the government to stop him...
You sure about that?
Critical Flag Theory.
JoeSmith writes, "They are offensive."
I wouldn't say. They're like a cash drawer ka-ching! to those selling Today Only! roofing deals.
In recent years the Gadsen Flag has become more or less the official flag of the Republican Party. I thought, perhaps the flag complainer could fly the official Democrat flag in reply. Then I thought, do they even have one, other than the big red one with the swastika in the middle?
I'm currently flying the Bedford flag, with all its allusions to the English Civil War. I have a flag locker of historical flags, and only fly my US flag (48 stars) on national holidays. No one has ever approached me about them, or wrote a letter to the editor. Though I wouldn't know really, as I don't subscribe to the local rag.
I'm currently flying the Bedford flag, with all its allusions to the English Civil War. I have a flag locker of historical flags, and only fly my US flag (48 stars) on national holidays. No one has ever approached me about them, or wrote a letter to the editor. Though I wouldn't know really, as I don't subscribe to the local rag.
“Tolerance” is a challenge to tolerate others’ freedom of expression, even if you find their actual views abhorrent
And if the Left actually believed in tolerance, we wouldn't need the Texas anti0tech overlord law
I once read Ask Amy fairly frequently some years ago. She seemed insightful and sensible (particularly compared to Dear Prudence on Slate), but it could be a different person now. I can't recall anything politically offensive to me, and she didn't inject politics as the NYT Ethicist does.
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