General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCan we talk for a moment about something? I'm referring to the bizarre spectacle that is Trump flags
The idea of a flag is an interesting concept.
First and foremost, they are best known as a symbol of a country. They also can relate to a state, a county, a city or some other governmental entity.
Flags aren't exclusive to countries and governments, however. If you go to a tailgate event at any given sporting event, you will frequently see flags flying containing the logo of the teams playing.
And flags need not represent positive ideals. The Nazis had flags, as do the KKK.
But even at their most repulsive, or their most benign, it seems like the common denominator behind flags is that they are meant to symbolize a group of people or idea that is larger than just the one individual flying the flag.
Except for one odd exception, and that of course is the Trump Flag.
There's no one uniform version of the Trump Flag, but most of them look something like this:
There's also one with some slightly more colorful--and blatantly ironic--language like this:
Trumpists love to display their Trump flags. Especially popular, for whatever reason, is during boat parades. But you'll see them in any number of settings, including behind these two illustrious members of society who felt it prudent to recreate the murder of George Floyd in front of peaceful protesters:
The existence of the Trump Flag is truly baffling, because it's a flag, but instead of representing a country, a group of people, a movement or an ideal, it's a flag dedicated to a person. A single person.
What sort of person deserves a flag with nothing more than his name on it? I mean, even in most despotic regimes, the flags flown didn't just read "Hitler" or "Stalin."
It speaks to a double phenomenon. First, a growing cult of personality in this country around the supposed President, which is something we have never, ever seen before. (I mean, I remember a lot of nonsense from the right in the 00s around the time of the Iraq War, nonsense about how criticizing the president was somehow "unpatriotic", but I never actually saw anyone flying Bush flags).
And second, it speaks to the narcissism and insatiable ego of the man who currently occupies the White House, a man so consumed with himself that he demands flags with his name be flown by his supporters. And that is certainly terrifying in its own right.
The closest thing we have to this are the MAGA hats, which have grown to become emblematic of a movement on their own. But even those tacky pieces of red headgear don't spell out Trump's own name on them. And had their popularity simply ended with the 2016 campaign itself, you might be tempted to say that they were nothing more than a campaign relic along the line of "I Like Ike" pins or the Obama "Hope" poster, historical pieces that tie into specific election memorabilia and little more. Of course, the MAGA hats have not subsided, and are the new brownshirt of our day.
But for the life of me, I do not remember anything so remotely crass, unprecedented and abnormal as the Trump Flag itself.
Thoughts?
Blue Owl
(50,238 posts)Lets make goddamn sure those flags are at half-mast in November
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,576 posts)If he can put his name on a thing, he'll do it. Flags can be easily and cheaply produced (in China, of course); they can be made very large and can go just about anywhere. Crassness has never bothered Trump in the least.
Harker
(13,957 posts)I fly the Karmapa Dream Flag. Maybe I get flipped off, too.
Cirque du So-What
(25,907 posts)that had been ripped to shreds by strong winds.
sdfernando
(4,923 posts)..this is his Coat of Arms.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)I regret that I have nothing to add.
-Laelth
murielm99
(30,712 posts)in my 71 years. There are a couple of them in my community.
I have commented on this here and to family members. It is cult-like behavior.
Thirties Child
(543 posts)murielm99
(30,712 posts)even after all these years. I lost a college friend there.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)all sort of things. You can buy marine signal flags, football penalty flags, and, yes, you can have one printed with your name on it.
But why?
I've seen names on wedding flags and such, but that's about it. Most of us would be embarrassed to have our names whistling in the wind like that.
But, Trump is obsessed with having his name on everything he is even vaguely associated with, and it's only a small step from a sign to a flag.
young_at_heart
(3,763 posts)Wouldn't it be nice to see Republican senators speak out against this?
Steelrolled
(2,022 posts)But I don't think I've ever seen one in real life. I think the overhead of making these up is small, so flag makers do as many varieties as they can (kinda like T shirts).
Americans do have a thing about flags.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,145 posts)But I don't know whether I would actually want to go around with just their name on a flag.
Steelrolled
(2,022 posts)nor am I bumper sticker or a lawn sign person, but I have no problem with people that go all out.
I liked the song from the 70s, Express Youself
Edit to add missing word, and add reference to Express Yourself since it is such a cool song.
riversedge
(70,047 posts)mwooldri
(10,299 posts)... is an invitation for me to exercise my own first amendment rights and give that display a one fingered salute. And a Fuck You. Usually while I'm driving.
Today (or tomorrow) I'll be going up US 29 via Lynchburg VA. The air will be blue in the truck.
backscatter712
(26,355 posts)OAITW r.2.0
(24,281 posts)On the otherhand, maybe we should start displaying the Trump flag, upside down. That would be a good use for these flags.
SledDriver
(2,057 posts)area51
(11,893 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)mobeau69
(11,131 posts)without our flag on the other. Its like some cowardly cover for flying the flag of enemies to the US. Id like to ask one of these numb skulls which is it? Ignorant mutherfuckers!
hauckeye
(630 posts)He alternates it with the dont tread on me flag. The sad thing is he is a nice guy and I enjoy chatting with him. One of these days Ill tell him that Ill be cancelling out his vote in November 😄😄
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)I haven't seen any Biden flags yet. Come to think of it, even during the SC primary, I didn't see any Biden bumper stickers or yard signs, either. That suggests the possibility that there's an enthusiasm gap that we'll need to overcome.
trof
(54,256 posts)We tried to keep politics out of the neighborhood.
Our covenants only allow yard signs for contractors and realtors.
This was a friendly, social, peaceful neighborhood until the few Trump banners appeared in 2015.
Now it's been split apart.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)It's a sickness. One of these days, all those people are going to end up throwing them in the trash or burning them in the backyard.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,145 posts)One day, probably a few years down the road when all the dust has settled, I will walk in and it will be gone, as if it was never there in the first place.
No one will ever want to admit having anything to do with that thing.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,262 posts)so it's vital that he gets as many opportunities as possible to do it now. Won't you think of Little Donald?
Mr.Bill
(24,228 posts)It's good that they identify themselves so clearly. It will save us a lot of trouble and they will live to regret it.
I openly photograph them when I see it.
keithbvadu2
(36,640 posts)Loyal Trumpster proudly holding Trump Russian flag
soldierant
(6,785 posts)if you were a general officer and commanded a unit. your unit had a flag with the number of stars you were entitled to wear, and that flag would be flown if you were in the building, and taken down if you were not Not really a glorification - more like a sticky note.
Of course the custom comes from feudal times when royalty and lessser nobility would do the same with a flag with their coat of arms.
Someone, oh, at least 40 years ago, even wrote a little Christian song about it: "Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart...when the King is in residence there." (I liked it because it put some responsibility on the singer to live a life that showed their faith, and I particularly like the "Love" verse - yes, there were multiple verses. But times have changed.7
All quite off topic. Thanks for letting me ramble.
struggle4progress
(118,214 posts)NameAlreadyTaken
(976 posts)Tommy_Carcetti
(43,145 posts)...right?
NameAlreadyTaken
(976 posts)though I avoid talking to him. We haven't spoken in at least a year. He's 3 houses away, so that helps. But the flag is unmissable.
Cha
(296,774 posts)like saying "BLOTUS Will NEVER Be Opening his ASSFACE Mouth Again."
jmg257
(11,996 posts)The Wizard
(12,532 posts)12 foot posters of his image on government building like they have in North Korea of Kim?
He and his cult are anti American and must be expunged with prejudice.