Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Wed, 27 Jul 2005 12:40:22 -0500 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
Trevor Reynolds said:
" It is only very recently that I began to understand how much of an issue
this would be to people from the USA (In fact after discussing an episode of
the Simpsons in which Homer burns the Union Jack (the flag of the United
Kingdom) with some American friends)."
How totally appropriate for you to join the discussion, Trevor. Some of the
professors I had lo' these many years ago pointed out that the Americans
were at a loss as to what to pledge their allegiance when they no longer had
a crown as the symbol of the united government. Therefore, the flag in the
United States has taken the position of a secular icon with many layers of
emotion entangled in its threads. One such banner, "the Star Spangled
Banner" of the anthems fame, is enshrined in the National History Museum of
the Smithsonian Institution after many hours of careful restoration.
For the British, perhaps the bomb (or was it a V-2?) that struck Buckingham
Palace or perhaps the bombing of Parliament during World War II evoked
similar heart-felt anguish.(I'm not sure members of the royal family,
especially those younger than Elizabeth and Phillip, would engender the same
anguish today.)
As you can see from this thread, for many Americans today, respect for any
flag of a subdivision of the US other than the Stars and Stripes is
tantamount to treason.
On the other hand, a guest speaker last fall at the Texas Institute of
Letters when discussion the occupation of Iraq and its long term
consequences pointed out to his audience that it is in the former
Confederate states that one most commonly sees the Stars and Bars.
Mary Kirby
[log in to unmask]
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.9.2/54 - Release Date: 7/21/2005
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
|
|