Flags

We have always flown the American flag on our flagpole at the barn next to my studio. This latest one was given to us by our representative, Bill Young. It is a good quality one and at one time, we were given to believe, it was flown over the Capitol. Whatever! I love flags and I have many of them - flowers, birds, even tractors, different holidays-riffling in the breeze on our porch. When they become faded I replace them so they are always bright and colorful.

But my favorite is Old Glory, really a magnificent flag as flags go. I love the symbolism of the stars and stripes, the evolution of it as we gained states. Whipping in the wind or hanging flaccid, it is always there as I come and go. It somehow keeps me grounded about our country, now in such turmoil.

Each day as I pass our flag I can't help thinking about the tiny American flags on the uniforms of our troops in Iraq. One day, after hearing on the radio of the latest dreadful bombing in Bagdad, I stood looking at the flag, now drooping in the light of late afternoon. I stood there with tears flowing at the thought of so many people, men, women and children, dead and maimed in the name of this flag. I think of the troops ('Support our troops') who are so different from the troops we sent to VietNam. In this Iraq war the troops are not draftees. They come from all the small towns of America, wanting somehow to get away and out of dead end lives.

In the Viet Nam war era when there was a draft, troops came from all walks of life. Ivy league or farm worker, they were all in the same pool. Our brightest and best were at risk. It made us sit up and take notice. Now, in the all volunteer forces, our leaders seem not to value the troops who come mainly from the lower class. (Does any child from the affluent or middle class that you know volunteer to fight in Iraq?) These young people, so incredibly valuable as are all our children, must shoulder the burden, even without knowing exactly what they were getting in for.

Then, as they exit this horrendous war, maimed and traumatized and needing strong support, it seems no one cares for them. Yes, we have those plastic things on our cars (Support our troops). Our president has never asked us to support our troops in any meaningful way. He has never asked for any sacrifices beyond our peace of mind. What has happened in Iraq is a beyond terrible thing, and we think we should continue going to the malls and buying stuff.

WHAT ARE WE THINKING?