American Flag Analysis: Victory, Honor, and Truth

Iwo Jima during WWII (left) and Ground Zero, NY, after 9/11 (right)

 

The American flag exists with much meaning as its two most powerful symbols are victory and honor. It contains thirteen horizontal stripes of alternating colors: red and white; and it has 50 stars that represent the fifty states of America. Despite the flag being one of the most important materialistic symbols in U.S. history and in the world today, it still carries the energy to be heavily critiqued.

 

When six U.S. marines raised the flag on Iwo Jima during WWII, it was clear that that was a sign of winning the battle. It didn’t seem disrespectful, did it? Was this just a way of celebrating a genuine win or a way of showing that they have yet again beat another country in war? Similarly, after 9/11 took place and over two thousand lives were lost, the flag was put up to honor them. But even this can be looked at with controversy and a little bit of conspiracy: Was it really put up to honor them? To reclaim power and confidence that they feel like they’ve lost? Or to cover what may have been an inside job (despite it being out of the workers’ knowledge)?

 

It is quite interesting to note that despite the different situations in the pictures, the flag is being put up in areas of destruction. This can be looked at in two ways: destruction that they have caused and/or destruction that has been done to them.

 

It is logical and self-evident that when an area causes another area to fall apart, the question of “why” is asked. It is a possibility that fighting in the Battle of Iwo Jima was necessary in order to keep America safe. It is also a possibility that America may have either fought a battle that they had intrigued or that they had no place being in in the first place. And this is not an attack on America, itself – just a critical analysis of the government’s actions. It is more than likely that the flag was placed with pure intention and greatness in regards to conquering the battle, which is something worthy of celebration.

 

After the occurrence of 9/11, the world was in shock, and grief was at the center of the lives of many. Psychologically, the only thing that people wanted to do and knew how to cope was to stand together and honor the victims lost in the tragedy. So, it makes sense that the flag was put up in the middle of the rubble. When soldiers and officers die in war or on duty, they are given much honor and respect in the name of America and what it typically stands for: freedom and independence. They are remembered knowing that they have made an impact on the world fighting for those two qualities so that their people are safe.

 

However, American flags aren’t only shown in times of victory and hardship; they are shown everywhere and anywhere. They are displayed outside of companies (e.g. Ford), public places (e.g. Henry Ford Centennial Library), schools, etc. Does this display too much honor or a lack of self-confidence or both? Does it make one want to poke at it with a stick and see what’s under? Does this play any factor when analyzing 9/11 and the many scientific and computational studies that have been done suggesting that there was help on the inside? These are all interesting questions.

 

 

In The Theory Toolbox, Nealon and Giroux state that subjects and cultures influence each other at the same rate (Nealon and Giroux, 53). This certainly holds truth as subjects are dependent on the development of culture, and the development of culture is dependent on subjects. The American flag in the picture above depicts all of the companies and brands that shape our culture. What is popular and of high demand is what makes up the culture of America. Those in power give the people what they want: either by evaluating a need or want through observation and analysis or by showing the public that they do, indeed, need or want a certain thing.

 

Using a praised, materialistic item when critiquing social norms is not disrespectful as it highlights key points that society should be paying attention to. The word “sold” written on the flag shows how much America is moved by money and the economy. It shows that these brands and companies not only keep us going on a daily basis, but we keep them going, as well.

 

In conclusion, the U.S. flag is an item of great importance, carrying honor and dignity, but it is also an item worthy of critique. The flag is used for various scenarios and can carry a different symbol depending on the event. Although facts are facts, and America is a great place to be, people in society must still look in between the lines (pun intended) and look beyond what is written or said by others and/or new stations.

 

Source(s):

Nealon, Jeffrey T. and Giroux, Susan S. The Theory Toolbox: Critical Concepts for the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2003. Print.

American Culture and Identity

American culture is comprised of worldwide cultures and of no cultures at all.

Since the founding of America, this land has been the land of immigrants. Yet, many people in power and in society try to erase the existence and the contributions that these great individuals have made. For example, Thanksgiving is celebrated every year, yet we often forget that almost the entire Native American population was massacred on that day in history.

 

As stated in the text, television is a basic part of American culture, along with sports, commercials, and documentaries, but the authors also state how even television remains influenced by multiple cultures and varying interests (Nealon and Giroux, 54).

 

When thinking about American culture, two polarizing views come to mind.

 

One view contains the white, the rich, the overly-proud, and the unintentional (or intentional) ignorance. Many Americans are only concerned about what is happening in the US instead of worrying about what is happening overseas, even if America is one of the reasons why other countries are hurting by our own hand. This view is partly shaped by Trump and his supporters as their concept of Americaness holds no diversity. And what about things that exist in America more than in other countries – like hate speech, largely-sized meal portions, and mass shootings in schools? Does this add to its “culture”? 

 

The second view contains different races, ethnicities, religions, and socioeconomic statuses. It contains policies that help the underprivileged and the sometimes forgotten, such as DACA, Welfare, and Mental Health Reform Legislation. America was built on the ideas, abilities, and perspectives of people from around the world. They are part of the reason why America continues to flourish in certain aspects. Immigrants are hard-working contributors, and some have played a greater role in increasing America’s richness than those who were born here.

 

Many Americans feel the need to identify as American for the privileges that come with it – merely because it makes them feel good and appear powerful. But when it comes to things like food, art, clothing, and advances in technology and medicine, they want and praise it, while not acknowledging who exactly is making those contributions to American society. Even when it comes to friendships – some may use this as a way of appearing accepting of others, while they internally feel otherwise.

Example: Using the N-word or making racist remarks and attempting to cover it up by saying, “I’m not racist; I have friends who are black.”

 

As it has been said in the past by many, people want clean floors and nice meals but don’t want to pay janitors and waiters. This relates to the tension between wanting the things that immigrants bring, but not wanting the immigrants, themselves. Being an American to some means power, even to the point where some give up their background to fit into the white persona.

 

Multiculturalism is defined as either an attempt to separate people instead of bringing them together, which signals a decline in the common identity of “American-ness,”  or as the increase of identities under the common rubric of “American”, which signals a positive change (Nealon and Giroux, 56). The authors touch on both of the views presented above – one where it divides the nation and focuses on the elite, and the other where it unites everyone as one, making American culture a culture that is shared across different nationalities.

 

The authors also present the topic of exclusion and how there is “no coherent cultural context that will include “everyone”” (Nealon and Giroux, 56). This is an interesting thought as individuality and originality remain significant aspects of our identity.

 

 

Source(s):

Nealon, Jeffrey T. and Giroux, Susan S. The Theory Toolbox: Critical Concepts for the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2003. Print.

 

Libya and the Slave Trade You Probably Didn’t Know About

Taken from Fortune.com:

“A Libyan coast guardsman stands on a boat during the rescue of 147 illegal immigrants attempting to reach Europe off the coastal town of Zawiyah, 45 kilometres west of the capital Tripoli, on June 27, 2017.” // TAHA JAWASHI/AFP/Getty Images

 

When first looking at the picture, I was provided with senses of discomfort, confusion, and worry. It also indirectly persuaded me to feel hopeful, despite not knowing the exact situation from the picture, alone. I didn’t really know what to think at first, but I had questions.

 

I wondered how something like this could still happen and why this was still an issue in today’s world. I can even say that I felt a sense of anger as looking at this photo was a reminder that there truly are people out there who waste their lives by dehumanizing human beings and treating them less than they are worth. Moreover, without the caption, it made me wonder if the soldier at the end of the boat was capturing the people or if he was rescuing them. The responses that I had would most likely be the responses that others would think about, since the enslaving of humans has been an issue for centuries.

 

Besides the variety in colorful clothing and the clarity of the picture, one may automatically notice that all of the individuals on the boat are black. Not only this, but one may also assume that this is happening outside of the United States. We notice that the boat is moving, but we’re unsure where to, but we can only hope for their safety. Beyond the waters is left out of the frame; we are unsure as to how far they are away from land and where exactly they are coming from.

 

This image is supposed to raise awareness for a certain issue, and we can see this by it being a photo that contains more than just one individual. We see a collective society of the same race that are all in the same boat, figuratively and literally. Pathos is used as they are fighting the same war and essentially fighting for some sort of freedom. The audience is for anyone in the world who cares about the wellbeing of others, but in particular, I think that the audience is directed more towards those who are in power. The photo persuades others to learn more about what’s happening and to also do something about it, if they indeed have the necessary resources at hand.

 

Politics runs the world nowadays, and certain countries only seem to care about themselves; so, this photo is almost a wake-up call for them. It shows us that there is still much improvement that needs to happen in the world.