It seems that no matter where I go anymore I see the symbol of America, Old Glory, flying everywhere. It's not the just the usual displays that cause me concern: on an occasional front porch, in front of a school, library, firehouse, courthouse, or business. I'm talking about the flag on the little white plastic pole flapping in the breeze on a car window, the larger than usual bumper sticker or decal, the huge full-sized flag waving furiously in the the bed of a pickup trucks. Its making more appearances these days than the ubiquitous blue plastic Wal-Mart sack.

What does this flag waving furor mean? That someone is actually proud of what this nation currently stands for ala the Bush Administration and the PNAC rat pack staggers belief. This once proud banner of a country built on the tenets of freedom from repression now provokes strong emotions I have never before felt about the nation of my birth. It's with great shame that I witness these extraordinary efforts at nationalism, not patriotism. For me, these colors have come to represent things our founding fathers surely never envisioned:

Red:

Embarrassment and anger that this mighty nation has pre-emptively attacked another sovereign nation on threads of evidence, many of which were proven beforehand to be false, driving further into the dust a country that could barely defend itself (let alone pose an imminent threat) and a people already devastated by the heavy hand of a paranoid tyrant.

The blood of the all the innocent in this conflict spilled for a lie.

White:

Shock and dismay that so many innocent lives, both American and Iraqi, were thrown away in the efforts to depose a single ruler whose crimes, while heinous, were overlooked (and even supported) only decades ago by many of the same leaders of this administration; a single man that represents only one example of the horrible repression being suffered at the hands of such oppressors around the globe, some of which this nation calls "allies."

The knuckles of power that decimate our liberties while continuing to feed its horror-stricken populace a constant diet of fear to win control of its heart and mind and even approval for its blood-thirsty policies.

Blue:

Sadness and angst over the imperialist image our traditional allies have had no choice to paint of America as they were locked out; the voices of the world community calling for diplomacy and a peaceful solution falling on deaf ears.

Disappointment that a nation that fought to free the world of Fascist and Nazi rulers in concert with its partners now sees itself the only fit judge of the value of a society and it's population.

I am appalled that as a citizen of this nation I have been made complicit to the crimes of this administration: the use of overwhelming military force where it isn't warranted, the deception on which this murderous raid was based, the callous disregard for the lives of its own brave troops and the innocent citizens of the world; the failure to observe international treaties. I am disheartened at a citizenry that fails to question the wisdom of its leadership while trying to squelch the voice of reasoned dissent with the incessant and bellicose rantings of corporate radio personalities. I'm amazed that these self same fellow citizens fail to see the problem with a statement like "Don't you forget that our troops risk their lives and die so you can express your opinions!" Well, duh! Wouldn't that mean that allowing you to silence my dissent makes their sacrifice a vain one? And for God's sake, calling for peace and supporting our troops are NOT mutually exclusive concepts.

Speaking of God, as a Christian I am stunned by the lack of discernment practiced by the leaders and membership of any church that would predicate the dissemination of aid to a suffering nation upon the condition that it come wrapped in Bible verses when many of these people already view the acts of this government as another crusade against Islam. (Talk about walking up to an angry bear and smacking it with a switch!) To them I point out Christ's response to his followers when asked which is the greatest of all the commandments: "To love your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Second only to this is to love your neighbor as yourself." Period. Did you get that period? He doesn't go on to say "only if he loves you, looks like you, believes as you do, lives in the same country as you." The Greek word in this text is "agape": unconditional and all-encompassing. He also says, "I stand at the door and knock, whosoever answers to me, I will come into him...", not "I'm here to break down the door and shove my doctrine down your throats whether you like it or not." What would Jesus do? You make the call.

Don't get me wrong...I'm proud to be an American. The kind of American that stands for freedom of all peoples of the world from poverty, disease, religious persecution, and genocide. The kind of American that still wants to extend the hand of friendship, the right of self-determination, and the hope of a sustainable existence to the rest of the world...not the fist of red, white, and blue domination. I'm also proud of the kind of American like my father who instilled in me the respect for what this country has fought for and who, after many knock-down, drag-out debates with me over Vietnam many years ago, finally sees the difference.

Monica A. Griffin is just an average American citizen living and attempting to eke out an existence in Oklahoma.

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