Fun with flags

Donald loves the flag.  He likes to hug and kiss it.  He regularly abuses athletes protesting the killing of black people by police, accusing them of "disrespecting" the flag (and the troops, and veterans, and every other American institution) by kneeling while our long, lugubrious national anthem is sung.  He loves that flag.  But it doesn't love him back.

Last week at a hospital in Ohio, he joined a group of young children for a heartwarming photo-op as they colored paper American flags.  Donald's was the only one to feature blue stripes (like the flag of Russia, some mean-spirited observers pointed out).  It must be hard to get a good look at our flag when you stand so close, and when you are too vain to wear glasses, even when staring at a total solar eclipse.  No, not vain, what's the word?  Stupid.

On Saturday night John McCain died, and the next day flags all over the country were flown at half- staff.  They will remain that way until after his funeral (to which Donald has been disinvited).  Which might explain why many people were startled to see the White House flag at the top of its flagpole this morning -- like the Royal Standard when the monarch is in residence.  Many, many people complained, including the American Legion, and the flag soon slunk back to half-staff.

Flags are not sacred.  They are pieces of colored cloth which invite us to fill in our own meanings.  Simple decency, on the other hand, is too complicated for a great many people.