Please, go vote.

That's my flag. I bought it and the flagpole at Cliff's in the Castro and installed it outside my living room windows.

I've been called a "jingoistic flag waver" for flying it proudly over the alley. I've also been called a "demagogue" and a "Christian fundamentalist" (huh?), which puzzled me to no end. No matter...I fly it day and night (it's lit by an overhead streetlight) and I only take it down when it's raining. Once, when I was adjusting the pole, I heard someone passing below remark, "This is such a cool alley, it could be in Europe. Too bad someone had to ruin it with that stupid American flag."

I came quite close to throwing something breakable out the window at them, but I give a hoot and don't pollute, even if I am a dirty bird. I did glare at them, however...and tossed a few dirty looks their way with my hand planted firmly on my hip.

So why do I fly it here in San Francisco? I mean, here the sight of an American flag flying from a residential structure is as rare as a parking spot in North Beach on a Friday night. You see American flags flying from a few buildings in the Financial District or Civic Center, but beyond that...you wouldn't even know this fine city was in the United States. Those of us who do end up flying one are subject to snide comments from dirty-ass hippies who are unaware the summer of 1967 ended almost forty years ago.

It's my flag just as much as anyone else's, and I refuse to let it be hijacked by far-right Jesus crazed loonies who wrap it around themselves and use it as a weapon against anyone they deem unamerican (i.e. those damn freethinkers and homosexuals and brown people). I refuse to let it be seen as a symbol of oppression and something exclusively Republican. I refuse to let it be an object of scorn. It's the flag my mom flew from the front porch of their house every single day I was in Air Force basic training. It's the flag I proudly defended for 6 years. Most of all, it's a symbol of a nation of which I am intensely proud, fractured as it is. This is in spite of our current atrocious state of affairs, not to mention the frustration and embarassment every time the Dictator Monkey In Charge opens his mouth to defend his failed policies and just ends up throwing his caca all over the American people.

Now, I'm not here to vilify Democrats or Republicans or create disunity. I'm not anti-Democrat, nor am I anti-Republican. I'm anti-dumbass and anti-stupidity and anti-hatred and anti-myopic policy and anti-no common sense. Other than that, I'm not going to talk about my political beliefs because 1. I'm really not that important so who cares what I think, and 2. it's really nobody's business what my political beliefs are anyway. I hate discussing politics in this town because unless you're on the far left (which I am not) you're automatically considered a right-wing fundamentalist (which I am not) which effectively severs all lines of communication, and opens you up to a barrage of ignorant sloganeering and extreme leftist bigotry. I'm sure the same thing happens in "red" parts of the country that lean right. At any rate, that's when I just have to look at those poor polarized folks square in the eye and let them know they're just as bad as the people on the far right, and they have doodoo breath and stupid hair and they look profoundly retarded (hey, I can call people names too). I figure if they're not going to listen to anyone besides themselves anyway, I might as well say whatever the hell I want. I mean, as of now, this IS a free country.

Somewhere along the line, the phrase, "Hey, I disagree with you," has been replaced by "NO! You're wrong and you CAN'T SAY THAT!" which I absolutely do not tolerate. Both "sides" are guilty of this, which is why I'm not on any "side" at all and tend to not want to hang out with people who exclusively and rabidly lean one way or the other. Balance, people...balance. It's all I've ever wanted out my elected leaders.

However, I will say this: My beloved country is in deep, deep trouble. I've never seen the United States so divided...red states, blue states, the Left, the Right, you're either with us or against us. Our troops are dying daily in Iraq, our economy is a shambles (as is New Orleans still), energy costs are spinning out of control, but no...it's the Homosexuals who are destroying the very fabric of society and the sanctity of marriage.

Enough already!

This midterm election is one of the most important of my entire lifetime, and I plan on using the voice voting provides me to send a message loud and clear. Enough is enough. This is NOT the United States in which I grew up. If you are an American and don't vote, as far as I'm concerned, you've relinquished your right to bitch or complain about anything so shut your goddamn pie hole before you get smacked.

Ugh...I didn't even want to write this post. I'm exhausted. I'm working on two hours sleep from last night, I worked over 12 hours today and it's already late. My writing is suffering as a result (as is my civility), but this election is way too important to me.

So vote, dammit. Otherwise:


Okay, my bed is calling me. Time to end this train wreck of a blog post. Good night.

UPDATE

Atari Age totally nailed it here. Now THAT is what I'm talking about. All of you who feel oppressed or discriminated against or overall unhappy with how you're treated as an American, might I suggest you get the biggest American flag you can get (not the one that's a gay pride rainbow flag/American flag hybrid...I actually find those mildly offensive) and fly that biatch as high and proud as you can. It's your damn flag! Don't let ANYONE EVER MARGINALIZE YOU. Take it back from those ignorant cockslaps who have made you embarassed to even admit you're American.

I mean it! Go now! Shut off your goddamn computer!

And don't forget the little bracket you'll need to screw to the side of your house/apartment/trailer/cardboard box. Very important. I suggest getting the one with the baked enamel finish...it'll look more aesthetically pleasing, not to mention it resists corrosion. But that's just me.