You’ve seen the guy in the pickup who has an oversized American flag waving from the bed of the truck. He likely has a “Support Our Troops” sticker pasted on the back bumper. He might be wearing a red MAGA baseball cap. Maybe a gun rack in the window. This seemingly ultra-patriotic guy, I’m guessing, is some variety of an extremist, xenophobic, probably nationalistic, and maybe one who believes that most news programs are “fake.” Sorry for all these assumptions but, well, most of us come to about the same conclusions, don’t we. When this guy drives by, I usually feel mild loathing at the notion that his use of all those symbols (cap, flag, bumper stickers, gun rack) equates to patriotism. I am sure he would consider my scowl as evidence that I object to patriotic displays, not at all as proud an American as he is.
Well, Mister Poseur, I embrace this country too and rebuke your grandstand brand of showing it. Mark Twain knew all about exhibitionists like you. He said, “Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollowing about.” With that in mind, I attest that I will not be in the audience at the Olympic Games screaming, “USA, USA, USA!” I will not listen to the bloviating blather coming from the right-wing propaganda sources; nor will I countenance the propaganda from any extremist political source, either lefty or righty. I will not kiss the flag for the audience to admire and appreciate me. Nor will I burn the flag for the audience to reproach and loathe me. I will not fall victim to those who go for show; rather I will align myself with those who deport themselves with dignity and quiet dedication to honor the principles of our compatriots as framed in the Bill of Rights. Those include both service to and protest against the prevailing authority of the moment.
Forgive this off-the-cuff analysis, but lately a few of these ersatz patriots have made themselves known at statehouse rallies. Apparently they equate protesting against COVID-19 stay-at-home quarantines as a good reason to show their AK-47s and combat gear. It is not clear why the assault rifles and military impedimenta are needed to protest sheltering-in-place guidelines, but my guess is that they are signaling that they just may have to start shooting if we keep the caution tape wrapped around the Jungle Gym in the local park. Ultimately, I suppose, they must believe that their power is being hijacked by decisions tyrannical governors and science-minded officials make, and what better expression of taking back power than by brandishing a sidearm or rifle to those gathered in attendance? Showing a weapon in public generates an instant intimidation factor. Do these flag-wavers resent authority telling them to stay home, stay safe? Do they resent governmental authority entirely, a government, by the way, embodied in the flag they are waving? What are they thinking? Are they denying the danger of viral sickness as an expression of liberty? Okay, probably not, who knows? But they are acting out in a manner that does not benefit the common good.
Speaking of that, the expression we hear daily from news shows and commentators: “We are all in this together.” But are we? Really? Preliminary studies done by the CDC suggest that US death rates for COVID-19 virus are much higher per 100,000 people among African American and Hispanic/Latino populations as compared to Asian or white persons. Reasons for these disparities are various and complicated, but once again wide gaps exist among socio-ethnic-economic populations. That shouldn’t be news, but the ones who will suffer most if society opens for business too soon are the very people who have already sacrificed the most (those people who must work low-paying jobs because they are on the margins of society, people crowded into substandard living conditions in metropolitan areas, and those who do not have adequate medical and nutritional resources).
Protesters toting military grade weapons on state capitol grounds do not help our nation get through this crisis. They are infantile hooligans playing Army during a crisis when patriotism calls for winning the war against the coronavirus. In effect, they say, “you go your way and we’ll go ours.” So much for all of us being in this mess together.