Our New Flag?

We are a people of flags.  Even before we were a nation, we were a flag loving people.  Betsy Ross, the original seamstress of the flag, was commissioned by Washington to make the first flag and she finished it in 1776 or early 1777, but in either case, long before the fight for independence was settled and at a time when most thought the colonists would fail.  Remember, independence wasn’t declared until July of 1776, so the making of the flag had to be on the top of Washington’s to do list.

We are a nation of flags.  Unlike most other countries, our national anthem does not sing praises to a monarch or deity, it sings praises to a flag.  Frances Scott Key waited through the night to see if the flag still flew over Fort McHenry – it did.

We use flags as statements of rebellion.  The Gadsden coiled snake flag of “Don’t Tread on Me” warned of dire consequences to those who dared.  Flags are also call for unity.  Benjamin Franklin’s image of a segmented snake on his “Join or Die” flag urged the colonies to unite.  We use flags to show defiance and resiliency as in the “Come and Take It” flag that flew over the town of Gonzales, Texas, during that war for independence.  Flags shout out victory as with the raising of the colors on Iwo Jima.  Flags are used to show national pride as we left one on the moon.

Flags inspire strong feelings.  The clenched and raised fist of solidarity, first used by the Black Panthers of the 60’s and 70’s, now claim the same when backed by the rainbow flag.  The national flag is draped over the coffins of soldiers who fell in service to the country.  It is a sign of more than just respect and sacrifice.  City or state flags do the same for fallen police officers and firefighters. 

There is no doubt, we are a people in love with flags.  Our schools have flags.  Our sports teams wave flags.  Some businesses use flags to fight for more exposure in their markets.

These are the flags of our history and even though still in use today, the designs of the flags and the customs in displaying them are rooted in our past.  Each of these listed flags can be traced to their creature and the customs in displaying them has been structured.  What is the flag of our future?  Who will design it?  Who will tell us how to display it?

Sadly, I fear the flag that will mark the passing of this country has no direct designer and there are no rules or regulations governing its presentation.  This flag is seen more often than most of the more articulately designed banners. It can hang from any structure.  I have seen it hang from trees in the forests, tacked to cacti in the desert, stuck to sage brush in the prairie and flying from the sea grass along our coasts.  It hooks itself to fences, gets caught in rows of vines, dances on the breeze across the streets and lawns of our towns and cities.  It takes flights of fancy from trash collection sites to loose itself on the countryside

It is not attractive.  It is not becoming.  It can be deadly and in too many cases cause the death of wildlife who think it is something other than what it is.... the plastic bag.

I took a walk the other day and was struck by the sight of this new national banner as it danced on the breeze from its standard on the branch of a hedgerow.  I stood and watched as teased me, from some twelve feet high and out of my reach.  It seemed to take great joy in knowing there was nothing I could do to bring it under control.

As I watched, helpless, I grew angry that this benign article has taken control and is overwhelming the national landscape.  It is everywhere.  Once loose, it rides the winds, until it takes up residence in parking lots as well as city parks.  It swims in our oceans and hangs from our foliage. It is an eyesore and an insult to a great nation.

We can do better.  We have to do better.  Stop using plastic shopping bags.  Invest in a dozen cloth bags and carry them with when you shop.  It is up to all of us, one at a time, to lower this new flag