The year’s most patriotic weekend is upon us.  And if you’re like me the prospect of a long weekend is incredibly welcome. So, for your consideration, here’s a more personal post about an American symbol and what we might make of it.

This winter I bought a US Flag, and after many years in my residence, started flying it. Like a lot of people, I thought of this as an outwardly symbolic act. Liberal members of my family asked why I’d do this, and only half accepted that it was a way people express civic satisfaction. They asked how often I’d fly it, as if one might need a limit, and pointed out that Europeans wouldn’t use flags that way at all.

After 9-11, there was a feeling of increased unity both at my work, which was then in state government, and in my city, as people thought beyond individual interests. Having just finished a long partisan election, I perhaps hoped some little symbolism would help us close ranks. That might be why putting up a flag seemed right, back in December.

But as I started to fly the flag, I found I had a few things a bit wrong.
Continued