Subscribe to Common Dreams News Updates
Most Popular This Week
Popular content
Today's Top News
American Flag Pins Are For Idiots
Show me a man wearing an American flag pin in his lapel, and I'll show you an asshole. I'm sure there are exceptions, but in general people need to remember that lapels aren't for wearing pins to create the illusion that you're supporting the troops. They're for wearing ribbons to create the illusion that you're helping cure a disease.
Last week we had the first genuine controversy of the presidential campaign: the shocking news that Barack Obama doesn't wear an American flag lapel pin, so apparently he and America are no longer going steady. "No lapel pin, Senator? It's like not wearing pants. Why don't you just stab the Statue of Liberty in the eye while bitch-slapping a 9/11 widow?" Another in a series of bullshit non-stories that have zero effect on the troops, the war or anything in the real world -- or, as Fox calls it, "Breaking News."
A reporter in Iowa asked Obama why he doesn't wear the pin and Obama explained that, to him, wearing the pin had come to seem like a "substitute for true patriotism." Bravo, Senator. And then, in yet another shining example of why the media is part of the problem, ABC's Claire Shipman said, "TMI, too much information -- all he had to say was, 'Don't judge me by what I wear, move on.' He played into the idea that he's not ready for prime time."
What, schoolgirl? "Too much information?" What is she, 12? This is typical press hypocrisy -- they say they want somebody who doesn't give pat political answers, but when they get one, they call him a loser. They say they don't like safe robots like Hillary, but they create conditions where only that species can survive. And they give cover to people like Sean Hannity, who reported on "no pin" gate and then had to call a doctor because his fake outrage hard-on lasted longer than 72 hours.
Of course, the Republicans are the party of Mark Foley and the Rev. Ted Haggard and Larry Craig and countless other closeted homosexuals, so their fixation on jewelry is understandable, but still ... the flag is just a symbol. You're getting pissy about a brooch, you drama queens, one that was probably made in China. It's probably leaking poison lead on you right now.
At least that would be some sacrifice, because let's be honest: this generation doesn't do real sacrifice or even pay for our own wars. That's what grandkids are for! No, we do flag pins and bumper stickers. And not even bumper stickers. Bumper magnets. Because stickers are tough to get off, and we may change our mind about never forgetting.
When I see the little flag right here, the first thing I think is, you voted for, and still like, George Bush, the man who has gotten more troops unnecessarily killed and maimed by failing to plan for their mission, by pushing their units to the breaking point, by letting his corporate enablers like Halliburton, Bechtel and Blackwater rape and pillage not just the Iraqis, but our own army.
Can you imagine how apoplectic the flag-pin people would be if these same transgressions against the military were being made by Bill Clinton? Oh, who am I kidding? They'd still be obsessing about the blow job.
Bill Maher is a comedian, commentator, and host of Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO.
© 2007 Salon.com
72 Comments so far
Show AllRight on Bill! Now about that apology to Nader...
Americans wear their own flag pins?! You gotta be kidding. I only see USans with Canadian flags plastered over every square inch of there clothing and belongings.
I guess even their phony brand of 'patriotism' is strictly reserved for display within the 'land of the free and the home of the brave' where it incurs less risk of any uncomfortable challenges.
I GAVE UP WEARING FLAG PINS..JULY 4,1990..WHEN I NOTICED MINE(flagpin) SAID"MADE IN CHINA" and since july 4,2000 it can rightfully be called "false-flag pin"
Great slam of the media which is more than entirely deserved---they are as guilty as BushCo of this catastrophe and grease its wheels every day. NOTE TO BILL: THE WORD "MEDIA" IS PLURAL. GET IT? Media/are, Medium/is....
Really good article. Its so true.Everything about America is fake.Fake patriotism, Fake wealth, fake beauty, fake smarts, fake stars, fake military power, fake politicians, fake culturalism, fake understanding of what is going on in the world. Fake liberty, fake freedom....open your eyes America look around, your "unbeatable military" is getting its ass kicked by iraqis with ak's c'mon!
It's nice to find humor in these horrid times, and we should thank Bill for giving us a chance to lighten up. But we shouldn't lose sight of what he is saying. Such as, "let's be honest: this generation doesn't do real sacrifice or even pay for our own wars. That's what grandkids are for! No, we do flag pins and bumper stickers." And says Bush, "the man who has gotten more troops unnecessarily killed and maimed by failing to plan for their mission, by pushing their units to the breaking point, by letting his corporate enablers like Halliburton, Bechtel and Blackwater rape and pillage not just the Iraqis, but our own army."
This isn't funny, It's true.
Hoa binh
The reason the "flag pin" controvery endures beyond even 15 minutes, is that we have as many as 50% of the voters in this country who WANT to hear about it.
Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, and the policy-wonks at the RNC know this. Why bother with talking about anything of substance they can get tripped up on when they can just bluster that, "well, not wearing the flag is just about the same as burning the flag"?
Never mind this isn't true and makes no sense. It works well for them and energizes their base. It's very important that we not "misunderestimate"
these people. (again)
In former GDR (East Germany) all apparatschiks used to wear a lapel pin of the GDR.
I loved this article! Bill Maher says and writes what I think, and he makes me laugh at the same time. I can remember going to the corner store during WWII, holding my mother's coupon book, to get a few groceries. People made large and small sacrifices then. Today, we are in a war created by a lunatic administration. Most people don't care because they are too busy "doing their thing." Thank the goddess for the people who have the courage to speak out against the insanity.
If these same things had been done by Bill Clinton, he would have been tried as a war crimnal and hung. At times, I feel that humanity has not evolved since people lived in caves. Maybe my grandchildren's generation will help to right the world; that is, if they are still able to breath the air and drink the water, and speak with a free voice.
I usually like Bill Maher, but did I miss something important here where he says: "...George Bush, the man who has gotten more troops unnecessarily killed and maimed by failing to plan for their mission,...".
OK Bill, where is the part that says that this mission itself was illegal, immoral and unnecessary?
Citizen 1: Lighten up at little. Bill probably couldn't fit everything into one article. It's hard to smile these days. This article will at least help me get through today so I can still fight again tomorrow. Every little bit helps.
Bill Maher hit the nail on the head on this one. What an incredible non-issue. It's like people who claim to be Christians, wrap themselves in the flag, and recite passages from the Bible. Look beyond the superficial folks and look at the behavior.
BILL,DO YOU HAVE THE BUMPERSTICKER that says"do the world a favor..give george w. bush a blowjob!"on the back of your politically-correct hybrid car ?i likethat bumpersticker.....
This article is one of my all time favorite demonstrations of the value of the first amendment.
Scathingly funny, but loose with key facts. (Key facts ignored by the hot air blowing in from the right too, how ironic is that?) Corporate "enablers" control the military. The patriotic entity doesn't exist. Losing troops, lack of plans, murder? Yes of course, but profits soared.
Bill's message is a slight to your intelligence: "Nothing wrong with the military, it's those darn companies and Bush" Wrong!
Have not watched network news for many, many years; made me want to smash the TV, so had to give it up. Now the cable news is much the same. Only watch Keith Olbermann, Bill Maher, Daily Show and Steven Cobert for the news.
Bill Maher has been a favorite for a long time, he really says it like it is.
Arvy October's comment is so true. Spent 11yrs in Europe and always came across Americans wearing Canadian pins. Personally, I would have thought Finnish pins would have been the safest bet; I still have mine.
The title of the article says it all. Hannity (himself pinless) is OUTRAGED that Barack HUSSEIN Obama can't put symbols over substance the way a Real American should.
Well, how do we fight such pinheadedness? Hillary decides to just go along to get along, let the knuckledraggers have their way on flagburning. But that's no answer. That just encourages them. Then you get all this piffle about the ten commandments, prayer in school, in god we trust, one nation under god, etc. etc. Dare to call them on it and get your patriotism and morality called into question. Well, I think it's more noble to weather a storm of hate mail and death threats than to bear the weight of society's sanctimony day after day.
As usual, Maher is right on target. Unfortunately, the people who need to read this the most are the ones least likely to read it.
I really really enjoy it when people are called assholes in public. Or shit for brains, for that matter. There's something to be said for not being diplomatic, but truthful and unadorned.
Isn't wearing a flag pin in your lapel the modern day equivalent of a belt buckle enscribed with "Gott Mit Uns"?
Hey buddy - freedom isn't free!
It costs $3 - the price of this bumper sticker I have on my stoopid truck.
Waving the flag—or wearing the flag—is the perfect way to show your love of country in this age. It is a wonderful labor-saving device, and used properly, it'll prevent a lot of tiresome mental activity, too.
And to squelch the lefty who's critical of what's going on, just stick that lapel in his face!
Now I know why Kucinich has been ignored so much! He's NEVER worn a flag pin to my knowledge, for the reasons Maher listed.
Right on Bill. Flag pins are for idiots like Lou Dobbs.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/09/dobbs.Oct10/index.html
Only real Murricans wear flag pins. This is Murrica, dammit. This is the land of the secure and the home of the fearful. Oh say can you sigh? Bill Maher can move to America if he doesn't like phony patriotism. This is Murrica, dammit.
I wear a lapel pin; it's a Mao pin from the 1960s. It looks good next to the Lenin pin. My baseball cap has more Mao memorabilia another of Lenin, and a Russian nuke submariners badge. My dilly bag is similarly adorned, with a lot of Ike and Vietnam-era badges, but the one badge that gets the most evil eyes is "God is Dead". I'm waiting to see when I am denied entry into an airport.
Great article and laffs by Bill, but I sense more anger there than is usual for Bill.
LOL - great piece, Bill :-)
Bill the mission was against all domestic and international law and was tragically supported by the people of the USA who were lied to by their leadership through the sock puppet press.
White Rose, sure we were lied to, but we seemed more than willing go along with the deception. Just like BlackWater, when we were scared, we just started shooting and will "let God sort them out."
zhongman
Maybe most of America was willing to go along with the deception, not knowing that it was a deception. If I thought mushroom clouds over America were imminent, that is certainly enough to make ME "go along". But by the time that claim was made, many other empty claims had been made and I was not deceived. I was instead horrified that America had been lied to by its president and he was upping the fear ante.
The Dixie Chicks said it best in Shut up and Sing.
This article is a 'direct' quote from his Friday 12 Oct summation.Thats why its so short.
nice to see you posting here Bill.
I am fed up with getting edited at Huffington Post.
what about all those assholes who still have W stickers on their SUVs? and "GOD BLESS AMERICA" stickers? like the rest of the world doesn't get a blessing? and the new one is "WIN THE WAR." do you think they really support the troops? would they go to Iraq and fight and die for whatever the hell it is we are trying to accomplish at this point? would they send their children? hell no. great show last night. I've had insomnia for a week so I stayed up and watched it live instead of tivo. does tucker carlson EVER shut up? love ya! Sadie
not only are the lapel pins,bumper stickers and flags in the yard bullshit,but the idea of patriotism itself.just as a reader pointed out that questioning the planning of the mission misses the point, so to does questioning meaningless displays of patriotism.we must take the brave and necessary step of abandoning nationalism,removing our borders,and reaching out to all humanity with love,peace,truth,tolerance and humility.i can already hear the ridicule from all the phony liberals who dont have the gut s to die for the what they supposedly believe.we are all going to end up in a hole in the ground,so lets die for something real.
I work for an employer that gives us uniforms. After 9/11 we were issued Flag pins. Mine keeps getting turned upside down from my seatbelt. Somehow I like it upside down. We seem to have taken the flag to display it for all the wrong reasons.
I am sick of seeing people ride around in their bourgeois cars with yellow ribbon support our troops or american flag crap plastered all over their cars. You look at them and can see that they do not even have a clue. My american flag magnet ribbon says "just pretend it's all ok" which is basically what's happening.
DEAR MR.BILL MAHR,WHAT IF THEY HELD A VOTE AND NOBODY CAME ??THEN THEY COULD NOT LIE TO US ABOUT WHO WON !SHOULDNT WE BE DISCUSSING 'BOYCOTT'BOYCOTTING THE NEXT ELECTION,INSTEAD OF DISCUSSING WHOM WE WILL VOTE FOR ??
BOYCOTT !!DEMAND BUSH BE IMPEACHED AND THE TROOPS BROUGHT HOME OR WE WILL NOT VOTE IN THEIR PRIMARYS OR ELECTION !!IMAGINE THEY GAVE A VOTE AND NOBODY CAME !!
Every American HAS to wear a flag pin...its where Cheney is putting the tracking devices and microphones...
IMAGINE THEY GAVE A VOTE AND NOBODY CAME...except the Christian Right?
RE: PEOPLE WHO 'NEED' TO READ MAHER LEAST LIKELY TO?
frank1here October 13th, 2007 5:33 pm
"Unfortunately, the people who need to read this the most are the ones least likely to read it."
Easy to feel about progressive journalism in general; but re Maher, I disagree: he is not a 'progressive' comedian in the narrow sense that only progressives notice him - his 'edgey' political humor occupies a niche in the American commercial comedy market, including talk show t.v. And, therefore, it has a 'currency' and viewership that - in a mainly right wing culture - progressive opinion typically does not.
I just ordered a case of lapel flag pins last week and now I have to go and read this article. Anyone want some? I'm selling them real cheap.
I bought a tee shirt with the American flag on the front that read 'Proud to be an American'! I only wore it a couple of times right after 9/11. After the Iraq invasion I have left it in the closet. It just seems hypocritical to wear something like that in public. Mostly because I am no longer proud of my country. Instead I opted for an anti-war bumper sticker with a yellow ribbon that reads 'bring the troops home now'! But, I have lost numerous ones in the car wash having my car washed (I always forget to take them off). The new puppy we have chewed on another one when we traded vehicles. So, it no longer is usable. So I had to get online and order some new ones. This time I laid in a supply of them. It's obvious the war isn't going to end anytime soon. So I am prepared.
Bill Maher. Keith Olbermann. Jon Stewart. Stephen Colbert.
My "Mt. Truthmore " of media voices that perfectly distill the upside-down times we live in. Humor and sarcasm are absolutely vital tools to strike at the heart of our problems.
Only the court jester(s) can speak the truth...
Great job, Bill. As usual your message is right-on and as far as humor, is without peer. Please keep providing your insightful and candid commentary to a level-headed segment of the population so in need of a few laughs.
For all posters to CD, The United States Flag Code formalizes and unifies the traditional ways in which we give respect to the flag, and includes the provision that it can be flown upside down only as a distress signal. It was traditionally used this way in earlier maritime days to indicate a ship in distress.
How fitting.
Perhaps Mr. Obama, if he so chooses, could reconcile by pinning his flag upside down.
(I, personally, have always placed my US flag postal stamps upside down, since the Supreme Court handed the election to Dubya, to indicate the same thing.)
Gauranteed way to shut up the flag pin people: wear the thing upside down. An upside down flag signifies mortal danger. Ditto for the bumper and lawn displays during "patriotic" holidays.
Note to Jack37:
"Media" is both singular AND plural.
See:
The Columbia Guide to Standard American English
The American Heritage Book of English Usage.
THANK YOU MR. MAHER. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THESE IDIOTIC, TREASONUS, BENEDICT ARNOLDS HIDING BEHIND OUR FLAG, LIKE WOLVES IN SHEEPS CLOTHING! lET ME ASK YOU: IF YOU WERE REALLY A TERRORIST, WOULDN'T YOU BE THE BIGGEST FLAG WAVER IN AMERICA! I REST MY CASE.
Bill Maher is totally correct. I'm tired of people who judge others by whether or not they fly the flag (or wear a flag pin). Also what about all the "Support the Troops" ribbons on the cars? Someone is making a lot of money on these little tokens and the money IS NOT going to the troops. Wake up America!
Americans wear US pins inside the US, where there is so much false patriotism, it makes you want to puke. Those American who do venture outside the US (very few) dare not wear the US pin because they know how much Americans are hated overseas. I am Canadian. It's amazing how many Americans wore a Canadian flag on their backpacks when traveling so they would not be recognized as Americans. Pretty sad, eh?
US is all bout packaging and illusion. There is nothing real about it, except of curse the wars, death and destruction brought about by its policies.
Great article. Anyone heard from Dennis Miller lately? (snide sarcasm...)