The flags we fly

Washington Post

20-06-2025

It has taken a pretend king to bring out a dormant patriotism lying deeper in the hearts of some on the left than they realized — myself included.
I predicted in an Aug. 27 letter to the editor, 'Ms. Harris, Democrats add the 'genius spoonful of sugar' we all needed,' that it was possible liberals would co-opt right-wing flag-waving and start waving tiny American flags of their own.
Apparently, I was right. At the nationwide 'No Kings' protests, according to an Associated Press article, some organizers handed out little American flags.
Were those organizers outliers, or were they harbingers of changes in the left's latent vision for America?
I'm proud to fight the right's version of patriotism with our own. That version includes championing democracy and liberal causes. We are proud Americans fighting for our America. I suspect our Democratic leaders are proud Americans, too, and they should say so explicitly.
When will it become commonplace for people on the left to start proudly calling themselves patriots instead of acknowledging their nationality sotto voce? Or is that too far-fetched? The idea of progressives waving American flags seemed far-fetched to me a year ago. Look at where we are now.
Gary Milici, Milwaukee
I totally agree with Enrique Acevedo in his June 16 op-ed, 'Why we fly the Mexican flag at the L.A. protests,' that America is a multicultural society. It makes our country stronger that many if not all Americans identify with other nations, religions, cultures and holidays.
It makes sense that many Americans are waving flags from places such as Ukraine, Gaza and Israel at rallies as statements of support.
However, flying a Mexican flag at a rally protesting aggressive deportations might inadvertently send the message that the flag bearer would rather be in Mexico, an unnecessary and unproductive interpretation. For example, people against immigration who see images of Mexican flags waved at protests on social media or television might then have their belief that it is perfectly okay to 'send them back' reinforced.
Signs in Spanish are okay but put away the flags of other countries.
Barry H. Epstein, Silver Spring
Enrique Acevedo's June 16 op-ed raised some valid points regarding the complexity of citizenship and identity. We should respect the rights of individuals to protest peacefully and allow them to wave whatever flag they choose, regardless of their citizenship status. That is a right protected by our Constitution.
What is troubling, and what Acevedo failed to address or explain, are the images of the Mexican flag being waved in front of cars that had been lit on fire. Acevedo referenced people waving the Irish flag on St. Patrick's Day and their loyalty or patriotism not being questioned. That example missed the point of people's fury completely. It was the juxtaposition of the Mexican flag and violence that is troubling to many Americans. It's simply not a good look, even to those of us who oppose President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
James Regan, Oak Hill
In sharing his opinion as to why protesters in Los Angeles wave the Mexican flag, Enrique Acevedo wrote 'that being American doesn't require being less of anything else.'
My father, a native of the Bronx whose parents came from Southern Italy, flew 62 missions in World War II as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Most of his targets were in Southern Italy. I learned enough from my father about being an American to be able to reply to Acevedo's statement: 'Yes, it does.'
Stephen Munro, Silver Spring
Nothing hurts the cause of migrants more than the flying of the Mexican flag at protests.
Many Americans, including those opposed to President Donald Trump's policies, react warmly to minorities waving the American flag. Waving the flag says that despite the United States' past mistakes and current problems, your loyalty is still to this nation. That's important.
We're talking tactics here: Fly the Mexican flag in your home but not in public. Try to make the American flag represent something more, and greater, than what anti-immigration supporters want it to represent. Fly the American flag high, and more people will listen.
Jack Dolan, Arlington
Flying the Mexican flag at protests is not the real issue. The real issue is that protesters and sanctuary cities are opposing and hindering lawful Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities. That is what gets me upset. Flying another nation's flag, burning cars and rioting are just pouring gas on the fire.
Steve Henry, Springfield
My father was wounded twice in North Africa, and two of my husbands served in the Navy during that war, so I have the greatest respect for members of the military and their families. I do not care about the cost of the military parade, but I do care about the cost to stroke President Donald Trump's ego. There are far more important programs that the funds could have been used for.
I want to thank people such as retired National Guard Maj. Gen. Randy Manner for his courage in speaking out against the parade. More service members should have followed his lead.
I did not watch the parade because I did not want my attention to go toward Trump. I fly the flag every day, and I contribute to the United Service Organizations. I pay tribute to the military privately.
Margaret Munson, Penn Valley, California
Leading up to Juneteenth, which observes the June 19, 1865, emancipation of the last enslaved Black people, we again saw the bigotry of President Donald Trump's administration.
During President Joe Biden's term, his administration rightly re-designated several military bases that had been named for Confederate generals. The new names honored true American heroes such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Now, the Trump administration has restored the names of Fort Bragg in North Carolina; Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Pickett and Fort Lee in Virginia; Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia; Fort Hood in Texas; Fort Polk in Louisiana; and Fort Rucker in Alabama.
To do this, the Trump administration named the bases for decorated but mostly obscure soldiers who just 'happen' to have the same last names as the Confederate leaders. In this transparent ploy, Fort Bragg, which the Biden administration renamed Fort Liberty, is supposedly being renamed to honor Roland L. Bragg, a World War II paratrooper, instead of Braxton Bragg, a Confederate general. Every intelligent, decent person should be offended by this duplicity.
Today's U.S. soldiers will serve at bases that share the name of some of our nation's most shameful figures — some of whom, such as Braxton Bragg, were enslavers. It's an insult to our service members and to the principle of freedom for all, which those soldiers are expected to defend.
What a country commemorates — in statues, flags, monuments and names — shows what it stands for. They are statements both reflective of us and influential to us. They are symbols that create models, good or bad, for Americans to emulate. We should learn from our country's dark side and glorify its bright side. Hopefully, in time, the recent regressions will be rectified as the United States reaffirms its highest values.
Roger Buckwalter, Tequesta, Florida
The writer is a retired editorial page editor of the Jupiter Courier.
The parade on June 14 was unforgettable. I'm incredibly proud and grateful to be part of our Army's 250-year legacy of service to the nation. Serving as one of many ambassadors on the National Mall — supporting the parade and engaging with thousands of fellow Americans — I was filled with powerful reminders of why I serve.
This celebration gave the American public a rare chance to connect with soldiers up close and in person, to experience the Army's proud traditions, capabilities and people. These kinds of moments showcase the professionalism and heart of our force and open the door to real conversations.
The exchanges that stuck with me most were the ones I had with young people who were curious about what I do, and how the Army and its core values (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage) have shaped my life. I had a moment of revelation on the Mall talking to a young man thinking about his future: So many young people don't know anything about the military, and what they do know is colored by bias, distortions perpetuated by the media and fiction.
The Army isn't my whole life, but it has been the most formative experience of my life. Reconnecting the public to the people, sacrifice and history that define our military helps avoid diluting our American story to meaningless pageantry and hollow patriotic platitudes. The memory and legacy of millions of soldiers who sacrificed for our freedom in blood endure only if we take time to understand and honor our past.
Think of the Americans who held the line at Cantigny, our first major offensive in World War I, or the 77th Division trapped behind enemy lines in the Argonne Forest, surviving days without food, water or relief. Think of the soldiers at Omaha Beach, who waded through gunfire and surf on D-Day during World War II, or those who endured the siege of Hürtgen Forest, fighting inch by inch through freezing mud and relentless artillery. In Korea, soldiers froze in place at the Chosin Reservoir, outnumbered and surrounded, yet fought their way out with courage that defined a generation. These are not just stories; they are the foundation of our service. That legacy lives on in every soldier who raises their hand today, choosing to serve something greater than themselves.
If we don't tell these stories — if we don't show our citizens who we are and what we stand for — how will our children understand the cost of the freedoms they enjoy? We owe it to them. We owe it to every soldier who never made it home. And we owe it to the future of our Army.
Roxanne Wegman, Fort Belvoir
The writer is a major in the U.S. Army. The views expressed herein are her personal views and do not reflect an official position of the Army or the Defense Department.