RE: [Marxism] French elections--on the US flag - and a concrete suggestion for this List!

[John Obrien <causecollector@xxxxxxx>]

Right after 9/11, U. S. flags were displayed everywhere, around my part of the 
country - most noticably on a majority of cars and shown on many windows.  Many 
of these were by immigrants, fearful of being seen "as different". This also 
took place throughout the United States.  But as I had hoped, with the ongoing 
Iraq War and occupation, the flags started to come down.  While some were due 
to weather and wear, the vast majority were taken down by people, who were now 
uncomfortable, with it appearing, that they were supportng the ongoing 
occupation and GW Bush in particular.
 
When the decline of public flag waving occured, in late 2003, several of the 
manufacturers, were starting to complain, about the slowness in their profits, 
over the previous period following 9/11.
 
It was then, that some of these manufacturers, began to promote the yellow 
ribbon, to show support for the troops (and really for the war and occupation) 
- in a more subtle way to try and prop up support for patriotism and the war 
effort and of course support for the U. S. political leadership.
 
Now there are fewer support our troops decals and yellow ribbons flying as 
well, as this occupation has become unpopular.
 
It would be interesting to have someone do a study, of who sold the U. S. flag, 
the yellow ribbons and the support our troops decals - and what they profited 
from this - and did with their funds - and what role the U. S. military and 
government played in their promoting these images.
 
I know that these objects, were sold in many store outlets near military bases 
and throughout the nation.  If as I suspect, that the manufacturer's kept the 
profits off these images, gave little to the wounded soldiers and I am sure 
NOTHING to the wounded Iraqi's! And the money was traced - incuding the 
government sponsorship and involvement - it could be a very revealing expose in 
the media!
 
I am sure, that we will find key politicans and military associations (such as 
the American Legion), who directly benefited from the profits and possible 
contributions, from these manufacturers, to them.
 
This is part of the larger "patriot racket" - which allowed some to benefit off 
of war. This study and report could have an affect, on some finally 
understanding, who benefits from this false patriotic jingoism.
 
It could also lead to the next logical step - reviewing the many groups actual 
financial records who are in existence, to supposedly help veterans and wounded 
soldiers and their families.  I am confident that this study would ALSO reveal 
much corruption, with little funds going where they were claimed the money 
raised would go.  America is a very corrupt nation - with many money 
worshippers, among its citizenry!
 
After the initial donations and fundraiser's were held aroung the 9/11 events - 
with much money raised - I do not believe there has been a good honest 
accounting, for all those funds - and where all that money actually went either 
- and to whom among the 9/11 victims.  Some received large amounts, others 
nothing!
 
There were many rescuers, at the World Trade Center site, that received major 
injuries to their health, due to exposure of the many chemicals.  It would be 
intersting to see how the funds were, or were not delivered for these folks and 
what happened to all the funds originally raised immediately after 9/11.  
 
Mother Jones became involved in the Labor Movement, directly because of how the 
funds, that had been raised for the victims of the Great Chicago Fire, never 
reached the poor and were spent, to only benefit that city's wealthy elite's 
charities, which were more cultural buildings for the wealthy and nothing for 
the destitute of that city. The aftermath of the Chicago Fire, following her 
own personal tragedy in the loss of her family, due to sickness earlier in 
another city, molded her to become a passionate activist, for the rest of her 
life.
 
If one was to follow the money - in regards to the 9/11 aftermath, in all its 
aspects - it would reveal the REAL PICTURE of the corrupt profiteering folks 
and the U. S. government - and would do a great service in my opinion - towards 
the inevitable future such efforts, of those hiding behind a nation's flag, for 
personal and political gain.
 
This is a concrete way to respond to this patriotism - and help curtail future 
explosions of such, that could lead to further erosions in civil liberties and 
an even more ferocious right wing governments and active military efforts (and 
this is certain to occur because of capitalism's need to expand and control the 
resources of this planet and exploit the laboring people on this world)
 
The person or persons, who do this study and produce this study/book, would 
help counter such future efforts.  Might I suggest this is something that this 
List can do, in contributing articles and facts, for a person or persons on 
this list, who would assemble into a working format, a study that would be 
potentially devastating - and deserve the admiration of the victims of this 
patriotism.
 
This is far better a time spent, than some of the bickering we do, with each 
other, on this List!
 
Could this List be expanded, to have active such projects or research and think 
tanks, that could have an affect on our world?  If the moderators agree - then 
I suggest the profiterring of patriotism, be the first project, of people on 
this List. Many people on this List, have much knowledge and information, that 
they could provide, to make this a great success.
 
This patriotism for profits study, could also be made into a traveling exhibit 
and provided to the internet for all to use!   
 
What do the moderator's and subscribers of this List - think of this proposal?  
 
John O'Brien
Los Angeles
 
> Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:43:41 -0400> To: marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> From: 
> lnp3@xxxxxxxxx> Subject: RE: [Marxism] French elections--on the US flag> > 
> American Flags> posted to www.marxmail.org on March 24, 2004> > Last night as 
> I watched coverage of the > Bipartisan Commission on terrorism chaired by Bob 
> > Kerrey, the war criminal ex-Senator who currently > runs the New School 
> University with an iron fist, > I was bowled over by the garish, > 
> rhinestone-studded American flag on Madeleine > Albright's jacket. This was 
> not a postage-stamp > sized pin, but something about the size of a bar of 
> soap.> > Meanwhile, John Kerry cannot be spotted without > the obligatory 
> flag on his lapel. After September > 11, liberal newsman Dan Rather began 
> wearing an > American flag pin in his lapel. So does sportscaster Werner 
> Wolf.> > The flag is ubiquitous in NYC storefront windows > in my 
> neighborhood. The Chinese restaurant, the > CVS pharmacy, the Russian barber 
> shop, where I get my buzzcuts, all have them.> > People in my building wear 
> them, either on their > lapel or as a pin on a pocketbook. There is an > 
> American flag on the doorman's desk as there is > at nearly all the security 
> guard stations at Columbia University.> > All of these flags are sported for 
> one and one > reason only--to tell the onlooker that they > support the war 
> against terrorism and that they support the president.> > The use of the flag 
> to intimidate dissent began > with Richard Nixon who wore the pin himself, as 
> > did all of his top aides. Ever since then, there > have been repeated 
> attempts to use the flag as an ideological weapon.> > On September 25, 1988 
> The Boston Globe reported > on how the first George Bush waved the flag > 
> against his opponent from Massachusetts Governor > Michael Dukakis, a contest 
> whose themes will > likely be played out this year between his son and John 
> Kerry:> > There are numerous parallels between the Bush and > Nixon 
> presidential campaigns, as well as Nixon > and Agnew's "law and order" 
> assault on Democratic > congressional candidates in 1970.> > Joe McGinniss, 
> the author of "The Selling of the > President," an account of Nixon's media 
> campaign > in 1968, recalled that "the flag was a consistent > motif" in 
> Nixon commercials that year. Bush's > carefully staged events, which protect 
> him from > reporters' questions, are also similar to > Republican activities 
> in 1968, when Nixon's > handlers shielded him from the press, McGinniss 
> said.> > >>Republican candidates proudly wore American > flag lapel pins like 
> war decorations that year.> > After Agnew was criticized for his approach, he 
> > worked a new line into his speeches. He said he > did not question anyone's 
> "patriotism," only the > "judgment of the radical liberals."> > Bush uses the 
> same language this year. When he > assails Dukakis on the Pledge of 
> Allegiance, Bush > adds, "I don't question his patriotism, I question his 
> judgment.<<> > So Kerry's campaign, in seeking to avoid > Dukakis's mistake, 
> is playing up both the flag > and his patriotism, as demonstrated by his > 
> military record. Whatever value this has in > electing Kerry is secondary to 
> the effect it has > in reinforcing the "patriotic" mood that has gripped the 
> nation.> > After September 11th, the insufferable Todd > Gitlin put a 
> positive spin on the proliferation of American flags:> > >>The attack stirs, 
> in other words, patriotism – > love of one’s people and desire to keep them 
> from > being hurt anymore. And then, too, the wound is > inverted, 
> transformed into a badge of honor. It > is translated into protestation (“we 
> didn’t > deserve this”), and pride (“they can’t do this to > us”). Pride can 
> go toward the quest for justice, > the rage for punishment, the pleasures of 
> > smugness. The dangers are obvious. But it should > not be hard to 
> understand that the American flag > sprouted first, for many of us, as a 
> badge of > belonging, not a call to shed innocent blood.<<> > full: 
> http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-2-47-105.jsp> > I would 
> challenge this interpretation on two > grounds. First, we do not need a 
> "badge of > belonging". The iconography of the flag is not > meant to draw 
> people together. It is to *exclude* > people who are not members of the 
> homeland. The > post-September 11th period has been marked by a > growing 
> xenophobia directed against the French, > the Germans and any nation that 
> refuses to toe > the line on the US wars of expansion. Also, it > certainly 
> is a call to shed innocent blood. > 10,000 Iraqis have been killed since the 
> war > began. Until the American people can begin to > understand their 
> suffering in the same terms as > the WTC tragedy, no progress will be made 
> toward > peace and reconciliation. To begin that process, > it will be 
> necessary to reduce the role of the > flag to what it once was, an official 
> symbol that > belongs on Post Offices and other federal buildings.> > > 
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