Lou Dobbs and his American flag lapel pin.

[Cyrano]

Let me admit right up front that I have never watched Lou Dobbs. But in switching channels, I've seen his American flag lapel pin. And it tells me everything I need or want to know about him.

IMO, anyone who needs to "announce" on their lapel that they are an American is either a pandering politician, or a screaming asshole.

The lapel pin crap started back in the Vietnam era. Nixon and his cohorts started wearing it to say "I am a real American and you're not." And here we are, 40 years later, still being branded by these people as "unAmerican." (Even some Dems wear one as a defense mechanism.)

The point is that the Republican Party has claimed the American flag as their private property. And we were stupid enough to let them get away with it. And over time, they have made a mockery of everything our flag is supposed to stand for.

I've touched on this subject about every six months since I've been on DU. But I really think it's time for an all out push to reclaim the flag. Someone suggested that we all get flag lapel pins and wear them upside down. Not a bad idea.

Any other suggestions?