I was in Orlando last weekend, amidst the sea of childhood imaginations and restaurant row. I had a great time visiting with David’s parents, and while Orlando isn’t a place I would typically choose to visit, it is the half-way point between our homes, making it a fairly easy drive for both of us.
None of this has anything to do with Einstein, though. But cars everywhere with American flags ablaze next to airbrushed, roaring, larger-than-life Bald Eagles slapped onto the ENTIRE BACK WINDOW of a Chevy 2-ton truck made me think of good ol’ Albert Einstein. So did the one car with 12 American flags of varying sizes, just on its backside.
The reason Einstein comes to mind in the midst of this sea of flag waving is because of this quote:
“Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.”
Being appreciative for the fruits ones culture provides is one thing. I love this country, its natural wonders, its ingenuity, and the varying types of Dorito’s I have to choose from no matter where I find myself. I like that I can still basically say what I want, do what I want, and not be persecuted for either. I realize that is not true in many places, and am cognizant of the fact that I might not really even know how great I have it. At least for now…
Still, this idea of blind loyalty and adherence to ones natural born country seems idiotic and short sighted to me. Waving the flag denotes an approval of our most recent actions abroad and abhorrent behavior as a governing body. Our PEOPLE continue to amaze me in so many ways, but our government, which is symbolized – for me – by the flag, has too much egg on its face to garnish this gesture.
It also tends to instill a sort of suprioritysuperiority, too, and besides, ALL the freaky people make the beauty of the world…
DANNA says
DIPPER, EXACTLY (MY THOUGHTS). SURPRIZE,SURPRIZE! THE OTHER GREAT THING ABOUT OUR COUNTRY IS THE RIGHT TO DECENT WHEN WE DON’T AGREE. MOM
Gary says
I fully support your thoughts/feelings/opinions and your right to voice them! What I don’t support is the female side of the family’s inability to spell. Freedom of education is kind of neat, if one takes advantage of it. DAD
MsDarby says
OK…for all of you playing at home, my dad is Gary, and my mom is Danna above. At first, I thought my dad was only talking about my typo on the word superiority, which I have now corrected. But I quickly realized that he also means my moms spelling of the word SURPRIZE, denoted by the word “females”…meaning, both of us have fouled our spelling somewhere.
I care to think of this slight amendment of the word “surprise” as an innovation. In this case, SUPRIZE gives the reader slight pause, and seems to place even MORE emphasis on the word than it would have garnered if spelled the boring ol’ way – with an ‘s’.
I love my dad beyond words, but us ladies…we stick together.
P.S. I am a GREAT speller. I am terrible, however, at possessive apostrophe’s.
David E. A. says
Living in Cincinnati I have become increasingly familiar with this sense of Nationalism, for lack of a better word. I find it to be an easy avenue for people that are ignorant and as a result afraid. Fear is behind most of it I believe and it’s dangerous. To hold a population in fear is to hold them in your grasp. Remember how many “Code Orange” terrorist warnings there were leading up to the 2004 election? Remember how many there have been since? Brilliant! Keep a nation in fear and full of national pride and you can accomplish almost anything. Animal Farm anybody?
DANNA says
THANKS FOR STICKING UP FOR ME, MY INTENT WAS TO SPELL IT INCORRECTLY,AS IN THE GOMER PYLE VERNACULAR.PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE USED ZZZZZZZZZZ- OR SIRPRIZE OH WELL!MOM