The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
Recall the images from some years ago of the immigrant-rights marches in Los Angeles and elsewhere in which were prominently featured people carrying the flags of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and various other countries south of our own border. The message went out quickly that the sight of all those foreign flags made for “bad optics” in that the people carrying them were demanding amnesty and all manner of other benefits from the United States, the country whose flag was nowhere to be seen.
So, in subsequent marches, all those foreign flags were miraculously replaced by the Stars and Stripes, supposedly brought from the homes where they are ritually displayed on Independence Day, Memorial Day, and perhaps even Flag Day, demonstrating that the good people carrying them are not, after all, loyal to the countries they had left behind but rather to the good old U.S. of A.
So it was interesting to observe, on Monday, when I happened to be in downtown Los Angeles, the beginnings of a small demonstration and march by a group demanding passage of the DREAM Act. About 25 people gathered on a sidewalk near the Los Angeles Convention Center in preparation for a march to the nearby Marriott Hotel, where Governor Romney was making an appearance. All the marchers seemed ready and eager to go, but they were told to wait. For what, I wondered.
Then I saw: the Flag Man soon arrived. He came with sufficient U.S. flags -- some large, some small -- to equip all the marchers for their appearance before the television cameras waiting at the hotel. The march proceeded, and at its conclusion the Flag Man collected the props so they might be in readiness for the next march.
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Comments:
Mar '11
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
In '96 my schoolmates and I were invited to stand in the front rows at a Bob Dole speech which was to be nationally televised.
Upon arriving at the gate of the venue, we were told by a handler that we would only be allowed in if we promised to take and wave one of the big "Dole" signs he had in a stack next to him, so that people watching at home would think Dole had strong youth support.
Sounds like the immigrant groups are doing a good job of assimilating to American politics.
Jul '10
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
The truth be darned, it's how it "looks".
Apr '12
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
Reminds me of the Fabreeze advertisement where garbage is strewn around the room. Fabreeze is sprayed and then blindfolded people are brought in to report what they smell--of course they are shocked once their blindfolds are lifted. The Internet is lifting the blindfold for many people.
Have you seen this advertisement?
Jul '12
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
Potemkin patriotic outrage.
Just like the counter-protesters I saw at the Tea Party-attended Town Hall meeting. The Democrat's signage all had "RETURN TO MYRA" written on the handle, and there were sign-in forms for both union workers (and doughnuts and coffee, because bringing doughnuts and coffee to a rally about health care is a great idea) and for students, whose names were collected by a woman with a clip board as they left the protest.
Aug '10
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
It would be fun if someone had video footage of the FLAG MAN.
Dec '11
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
... And when they're done using them in the parade, they are shipped to the middle east to be burned!
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
I thought the same thing, but I couldn't get to my camera quickly enough.
Jul '11
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
Here's my town.
Vet cuts down Illegal Mexican flag flying above US Flag
Jun '12
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
My thoughts exactly. The Flag Man must be very busy, what with handing out US flags to rioting Middle Easterners, and before that, all those Danish flags when the Muhammed cartoons came out.
Mar '11
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
You err sir, correct yourself.
These are marches in favor of illegal immigration, not those who struggle and wade through the entire legal process despite all obstacles because they desire to be U.S. citizens.
Aug '10
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
Careful Jack .
Flag men are a new division of SEIU.
Since they couldn't do AFSCME because of the ACORN association ( oops, the Worker's Empathy Eradication Trust) they are good with SEIU, at least until they can unionize the mediterranean fruit fly and the Newport Beach Lifeguards.
Then, they're going to Sacto.
CRV indeed
Apr '11
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
"The march proceeded, and at its conclusion the Flag Man collected the props so they might be in readiness for the next march."
For them, citizenship is a prop. They want the advantages of higher salaries, better education, better schools, and a better future, but their allegience remains to the land of their birth, where they send their money. There is no allegience to our flag.
Yup, citizenship is just a prop.
Edited on September 19, 2012 at 4:47amAug '10
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
So Shakespeare was right. All the world IS a stage. But we havta wait for the prop master to arrive before we walk out to deliver our lines.
Sep '10
Re: The Flag Man Cometh (and Goeth)
This reminds me of the teacher protests against governor Schwarzeneggar back in the day. Schwarzy arrived at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, two buses of protestors arrived and "parked" in the alley behind 595 Market St. The teachers disgorged from the buses were handed their placards, a dais was erected, they marched in a circle for 30 minutes. Someone spoke. The TV cameras rolled. In 45 minutes it was like it didn't happen.
And this fake, planned outrage brought down the republican administration in CA.
Looks like the Mexicans are learning. It doesn't matter how pathetic or meaningless the protest, just get it on TV.