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Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tiny Tim Had it Right
There is an email that is being forwarded all over that tells us we SHOULD all fly our American flags on 9-11-07. The body of it reads like this:
On Tuesday, September 11th, 2007, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this fifth anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
The email goes on to tell us to spread the word and also display our flag on the 11th. It ends with:
Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America
I think that it is really important to think about what we do and what our motivations are instead of just emotionally fulfilling an action because someone says we "should". Who is that "someone", anyway? And why are they telling me what I "should" do? (Maybe that someone is a flag manufacturer. cha-ching!) Will flying my flag really help us prevail over terrorism?
I am sure that the person who originated this had good intentions. It is very kind of them to want us to remember that scary day and to acknowledge those who have died because of it. But let's also, while we're at it, not forget the other 148,000 people who died that day (151,338 people in our world die each day) and every day. Some of those other 148,000 who died on that day also departed in horrible circumstances, and all who died left grieving friends and relatives behind. Families and friends of those other 148,000 will commemorate their loved ones' deaths with no national fanfare, even though their loss was just as important to them.
I'm not even going to go there with "our cherished freedoms" that our soldiers are fighting for and our government is taking away...
Then there's the "God Bless America" bumper-sticker quote. We really do need God - or someone - to bless us. We have lost our way. Our national debt, the decimation of our constitution, our occupation of a country, and all the deaths in our name, etc., etc. We're walking into deep doodoo and need all of the blessing we can get.
Or maybe we just need the American people to wake up and right our ship.
God Bless America
I feel sad every time I read those words, because I can't figure out why we are sooooo special that we only ask for Her to bless US. It seems very callous and inhumane to not wish for blessings from God/Jesus/Allah/Buddha/you/me for ALL of humanity.Tiny Tim had it right.
"God bless us, every one!" - Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol
"Jesus loves the little children, ALL the children of the world. Red or yellow, black or white; they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world."
(Song I was taught as a child. I still believe it today.)
"The only real, dignified, human doctrine is the greatest good of all." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Jesus loves the little children, ALL the children of the world. Red or yellow, black or white; they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world."
(Song I was taught as a child. I still believe it today.)
"The only real, dignified, human doctrine is the greatest good of all." - Mahatma Gandhi
posted by Carol at 8:34 AM
6 Comments:
Oh. That Tiny Tim. When I read the title I was thinking of the "Tip Toe Through The Tulips" guy. Pathetic, huh? :)
That was a good post Carol. I really do think about people who pass everyday. I do think about the abused children, the starving children and the missing children everyday. It hurts to think about them, but I have to. And wish I could help each and every one of them.
The flag thing, although we have two in our yard, especially after that surge of fierce patriotism in September 2001 was almost a negative thing for me. It almost made me consider those people as the blindly accepting crowd that was rallying behind bush and his LIES.
My favorite quote is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and I thought you might appreciate it:
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
I keep a copy of that at the bottom of my blog on the left sidebar. One year I actually had about a thousand copies of that made and put them everywhere I went. At the top of it I copied a Peanuts cartoon that had Linus telling Charlie Brown that the world was a wonderful place. Charlie started ranting and raving about all of the terrible things in the world and wondered how Linus could even say such a thing. Linus simply replied, "Because I'm in it now".
Anyway, I've typed enough here. Thanks for stopping over at my place. And don't go telling people I have a soft side. I have to keep up appearances you know. :)
I received this email too. These days I see everything as propaganda trying to renew a call to war. I just deleted it. I'd prefer to just hang my flag upside down as a sign of distress but I won't do that either. Afraid I guess. Not for me. If it was JUST me I would.
Aw, Chuck...
I realized that people might think of the ukulele-playin' guy when I googled Tiny Tim and got so many hits for him.
The Emerson quote is beautiful! What a great idea to plant copies of it everywhere. They could counteract the propaganda we read daily to BUY things in order to have succeeded!
I like the soft guy behind the appearances (you know how we women can be), but I won't tell anyone. Feel free to stop by and let him express himself anytime.
Hi Mary,
Yes, it's the nationalism that bothers me so much. And that is what is used to further the call to war.
I truly understand your fear about hanging the flag the way you'd like.
And our man, W, is about freedom?
Carol,
I got that email, too, from several people (mostly well-intentioned relatives). But I found it quite suspect in light of the new group Freedom Watch and their endless campaigning for the war and so-called patriotism. For the past year or so my husband and I have displayed an upsidedown Colonial flag in our frontroom window and will continue to do so until our country somehow gets turned back around.
Peace,
Amy
Hi Amy!
Blogger wouldn't let me post comments or anything else yesterday, so your comment had to wait until they got their stuff together.
I had to smile to think of your flag in your window. Mostly because I think you live in, you know, the state someone calls home. ;-)
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