I recently spent a month in NY and Washington. I was genuinely flabbergasted at the sheer number of American flags – they were literally everywhere. On buildings, in buildings, shop windows, people clothing. It was sooo different to being in Australia. I am just curious if this started after 9/11 or if it has always been the case? This isn’t a criticism – it was just notably different than my country and most of the European countries I have travelled in. Thoughts?
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Americans are very “patriotic”. This boils down to flag the stars and stripes everytime and everywhere, but be as ignorant as can be about human values and respect for minorities.
Welcome to America
Yup. We are a bunch of oddballs.
Our NZ friend said the same thing when traveling here 30 years ago.
Heck, if you see a bunch of English flags in England, you realize it belongs to a nut job.
9/11 has definitely upped the number, but it was big before then.
The MAGAts have used the flag to try to promote nationalism and idiocy.
*The Canadians have also seen this happen the last years.
I’m all for the rest of the country flying the flag, for the country. They are running into fascism, and doing anything with the country as their last focus.
Trumpism. MAGA ruined the flag for the rest of the country.
There was a big spike after 9/11 but America has always been very patriotic.
The reality is that we need a strong nationalist streak in order to justify staying united. Without it people in Texas might start asking why, precisely, an unelected judge in New York gets to determine whether or not a person in Texas gets to own a gun. Or why, precisely, Wyoming gets a vote in whether or not Washington weed growers can be taken out by the DEA.
Those are dangerous questions, best just to wave the flag
It did increase after 9/11, but just going by my memory, the bicentennial of 1976 also had an effect. It was a huge celebration. Most people didn’t have a flag in my neighborhood where I grew up, but my mother once noted the flags we did see on a handful of houses, at least one parent was an immigrant. Places have flags always like schools and post offices and town/city halls, some parks, and some other businesses also may hang or fly a flag. Around certain holidays, more flags. After 9/11, we had a brief unity and all flew the flag. Not so much now but it has kept on for some people.
MURICA BBY
> most of the European countries I have travelled in
Have you been to Turkey? Makes America look modest.
It’s all about Nationalism. Truthfully, I don’t care for Nationalism (it’s been a pretty big flag for some of the worst of humanity, and we still keep promoting it).
American “Exceptionalism” is talked about a lot, but it’s really just Nationalism with a different name. My people feel like they’re incapable of causing any harm or doing anything wrong because they live within “the greatest country in the world, yee-haw.”
That said, it’s a miracle we’ve remained the UNITED States, and I think it’s due to the unwavering pride and Nationalism at the heart of American Rhetoric.
It’s how it is, it’s how we roll.
There have been lots of spurts in demonstrated patriotism over the years – War of 1812, north in Civil War, WWI and WWII then most recently after 9/11.
Stars and Stripes forever.
I think it’s pretty cool.