by Michael Strickland
Update. The Mississippi Governor was called out:
Update. Thank you DRo:
The Untold Herstory
Grace Wisher was a free African American woman who was indentured as a child to the famous Star-Spangled Banner flag seamstress, Mary Pickersgill. As an African American living in the early 19th century, Grace’s story remains mostly unknown, but her role in making the flag was just as critical as those who are better represented by the historical record, according to the National Park Service.
It would be great if such stories were taught to more Americans.
The Complicated History
I also wish more platforms could embrace nuanced and spiritually rich journeys such as that of Erin Aubry Kaplan: “As a Black woman, I’ve discovered a strange sense of sympathy with a symbol that long felt oppressive.”
I know I’m not alone in this. Lots of Americans are alienated by the arrogance they see in the flag — jingoism, nationalism, the whole greatest-country-on-earth stance at its most belligerent and least self-aware. As a Black American, my alienation is longstanding. For me, it’s also personal: I’ve always wanted to like the flag, but I could never get close to it. As a child, saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school, I knew I was mouthing words to a distant, demanding authority that didn’t have a positive notion of me, if it had any notion of me at all. When I got older, I conspicuously avoided saying the pledge at public events or putting a hand over my heart. The love was simply not there.
And then … There’s Ole Miss
Last week, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Mississippi became surrounded by a larger and rowdy group of counterprotesters and had to be escorted into a building by police.
Videos of the protest posted on social media show the larger crowd, of about 200 seemingly mostly white young people, surrounding and shouting down the multi-racial group of between 30 and 60 pro-Palestinian protesters, according to NBC News.
Another video showed the counterprotesters singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” to drown out the chants from the pro-Palestinian protesters, while yet another video showed a large crowd of men, including two male students who appear to be white, in American flag overalls, yelling in the direction of a Black female graduate student. In the video, the woman appears to be walking toward the crowd while recording them on her phone, the article says.
On the right side of the frame, another man can be seen jumping up and down and appearing to make a noise to simulate an ape. Members of the crowd also chanted, “Lock her up!” as the woman was guided away from the hecklers by police, in a video shared on social media by Republican Rep. Mike Collins, R-Georgia. He calls the video “Ole Miss taking care of business.”
Is the Frat Bro with the gorilla noises “taking care of business”? asked RobertLusetich.
What Racism?
The incident underscores the deeply rooted racism and intolerance that the far-right tries to dismiss as nonexistent. The use of the national anthem as a tool to silence dissenting voices further emphasizes the weaponization of patriotism to suppress marginalized perspectives. The targeting of a Black female graduate student within this altercation highlights the intersecting oppressions faced by individuals who challenge dominant narratives. The chants of “Lock her up!” echo the rhetoric often used to silence and delegitimize the voices of Black women in public discourse. Additionally, the dehumanizing act of someone simulating an ape in the background of the video is a stark reminder of the deeply ingrained racism that persists in our society. It perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reinforces systems of oppression.
They Were Taught Flag Etiquette at FFA, Boy Scouts, and 4H
And I couldn’t help but think about this often-stated, but mostly overlooked fact about “patriots” the age of MAGA. Beyond the abusive behavior, the image of individuals donning American flag overalls while engaging in aggressive and disrespectful behavior towards others reflects a further troubling disconnect. While they proudly display the flag on their clothing, their actions demonstrate a lack of understanding or disregard for flag etiquette and the values it symbolizes. There are guidelines for the respectful handling and display of the flag, including refraining from using it for purposes of intimidation or disrespect. The use of the flag as a garment in itself can be considered a violation, as it diminishes the solemnity and dignity it is meant to embody.
A Black Experiential Lens
Kaplan continues:
I know that many people who remain alienated from their own flag — especially Black people — believe that, even in an inanimate state, it is incapable of neutrality. The stars and stripes representing the 50 states also represent the troubled history of the states — the original colonies steeped in Black slave labor that built up the wealth of the whole country, the devastation of Native Americans wrought by statehood everywhere, from Mississippi to Hawaii. That history is why it’s always been so difficult for conscientious Americans of all colors to embrace the flag and make it their own: From the beginning, it was someone else’s.
What Does It All Mean?
Engaging in aggressive behavior, such as shouting down and harassing others, while draped in the flag, contradicts the ideals of unity, tolerance, and respect for diverse perspectives. Those qualities are what the symbol is meant to embody. MAGA is a superficial, performative patriotism that overflows a mind-boggling ocean of contradictions. Among the flaws, it prioritizes symbolic gestures over genuine adherence to the values of democracy and freedom. There is a USA that I believe in. My country includes a commitment to upholding the ideals of justice, equality, and inclusivity.