Mind one.
(This post is rated R for swearing, violence, over use of sarcastic quotation marks, and political themes. Viewer discretion is advised.)
ALRIGHT BUCKLE UP BOYS AND GIRLS BECAUSE SHIT'S ABOUT TO HIT THE FAN.
On the off chance you've somehow managed to escape the political shitstorm of the past few days (you lucky bastard) here's a suuuper brief recap.
1. Gay marriage was made legal in all fifty states.
2. The internet literally exploded into a rainbow of fuckery.
Now before I get on my soap box let me knock you off yours.
I don't really give a shit that gay marriage is legal. It doesn't affect me in the slightest. I am not a homophobe, bigot, ignorant, or any other left wing term generally used to describe people in my situation.
What does affect me is the blatant disrespect being displayed.
If I see one more American flag bastardized with a rainbow I'm going to develop a stress ulcer. People do realize defacing the flag is a federal goddamn crime right? But because its "a celebration of equal rights" its okay right? NO. NO IT IS NOT. In the public's excitement to show their pride they are literally trampling all over those that made this event even possible. The American flag isn't just a symbol to be manipulated to fit the needs of a "celebration". It stands for so much more, but that has fallen by the wayside to some. That flag has stood as a symbol of hope and freedom, but in the last year alone it has been treated like a doormat. In case there is any confusion here is a list on what is not okay to do to the American flag.
1. Let it touch the ground. (Which sure as fuck includes standing, walking, stomping, and god forbid dancing on the flag.)
2. Burning the flag for a protest. (The only proper form of disposal of an American flag is to burn it, however that takes place in a respectful ceremony with rigid standards of conduct you fucking swine.)
3. Changing the colors, or pattern of the flag.
To expand on point three let me share with a direct quote from the United States code title 4 chapter 1- The Flag. (This will be summarized below the quotation for better understanding)
"§3. Use of flag for advertising purposes; mutilation of flag
Any person who, within the District of Columbia, in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America; or shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign upon which shall have been printed, painted, or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended, affixed, or annexed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, or drawing, or any advertisement of any nature; or who, within the District of Columbia, shall manufacture, sell, expose for sale, or to public view, or give away or have in possession for sale, or to be given away or for use for any purpose, any article or substance being an article of merchandise, or a receptacle for merchandise or article or thing for carrying or transporting merchandise, upon which shall have been printed, painted, attached, or otherwise placed a representation of any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign, to advertise, call attention to, decorate, mark, or distinguish the article or substance on which so placed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court. The words "flag, standard, colors, or ensign", as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America."
Essentially that giant block of legalese states that placing a design (such as the gay pride rainbow) upon the flag, exposing said altered flag to the public, and manufacturing and selling altered flags will be found guilty of a misdemeanor and punished with a maximum fine of one hundred dollars, or thirty days in jail, or both. This applies not only to physical flags, standards, and ensign, but also pictures and representations of aforementioned items. It doesn't have to be a standard flag either. That's what that last long rambling sentence explains. As long as it contains the colors, and the stars and stripes, in any combination thereof that the average person would believe with out deliberation to represent the flag of the United States of America.
A great deal of thought was put into protecting the American flag. And for good fucking reason. That flag is more than a colorful piece of fabric. It stands as a representation of America as a whole. No caveats. For a group of people within the American public to take the flag and manipulate it into a symbol to further their own agenda isn't just illegal, its morally disgusting.
(Brief pause for breath)
I could harp on about the significance and symbolism of the flag for years, but there's a couple more points that need to be addressed. So if you're still with me, read on.
There is another picture that is circulating that is deserving on some serious ranting. A group of men, (presumably gay but I'm not going to throw stones), took a rainbow flag on a pole and deemed it wise to reenact the second flag raising on Iwo Jima.
(For those of you unaware the flag was actually raised twice on Iwo Jima and pictures were taken of both. The one that you are familiar with that has become iconic is the second flag raising.)
There are not enough words for the rage, disgust, and disappointment I felt when I saw that picture. Yes, disappointment. Because the legalization of gay marriage was supposed to be a step forward for America. (Or so I'm told. Remember I don't give a shit.) Instead it's been a significant leap back.
Consider the definition of the word hypocrisy. Go ahead. I'll wait.
Here it is in case you didn't look it up.
"the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense"
I can't even begin to list all the ways that the gay community has demanded respect from the rest of America. And yet in the wake of getting what they wanted they are trampling all over core American beliefs and values. There isn't even a basis for comparison between World War II and legalizing gay marriage. Is history no longer a required course in high school? Does the public not even realize what WWII was? What it was fought over? The sacrifices that were made?
Holy fucking shit America.
I'm going to stop here. But I leave you this to consider.
Is this really the way you want future generations to remember this "monumental occasion"? By desecrating the flag? By making a mockery of the very people that fought to make this even possible? By shitting all over the rest of the American people? After decades of asking everyone else to be conisderate here I am. A straight, white, conservative, soldier, asking for a little consideration in return. Think before you act. If you are so tired of being offended, consider how your actions might offend someone else.
BECAUSE IN CASE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE I'M RATHER OFFENDED.
Mind Two:
Ditto.
Listen to the soldier people.
