The president has demonstrated a distaste for anything that limits his power — the rule of law, the Constitution of the United States, courts that refuse to be used by him, and the free press which constantly reports “fake news”. The list goes on — foreign aid, immigration law, noncompliant Republican legislators, whistleblower protections, checks and balances, climate science, trade agreements, NATO. Those are only a few of the things that trigger him. (Do you like that word?)
Beyond that, he has insulted or abandoned allies that America has developed over many decades — some, for over a century. He has admired the leaders of Russia and North Korea when they rolled out tanks and rockets to demonstrate their power to the people of the Earth — but, most importantly, to their own citizens.
He has spoken derisively of the American men and women who loved their country and its democratic values enough to sacrifice their lives to protect those values from people like him.
Yet he loves his flag. He wears it on his lapel. He embraces it — literally.
I fly the American flag every day to show respect for those very things that justly limit his power.
Flag Day should be a special day. But no, he uses Flag Day to give himself a military parade through our nation’s capital to celebrate his birthday. Of course it is only a coincidence that Flag Day falls on his birthday, a day which in 2025 also happens to be the 250th anniversary of the United States Army.
What a convenient tri-incidence: Flag Day, the Army’s semi-quincentennial, and his 79th birthday. Why in the world would you have three parties when you could throw just one? We should be able to pull that off for a mere $45 million.
So, as the president debases the flag on this Flag Day, I will honor it by removing it from the front of our home, hopefully leaving a very noticeable blank space in our neighborhood where our friends and neighbors have long been able to count on seeing the red, white and blue on proud display. But at this address, our flag will not be associated with the most openly corrupt and illiberal American political leader in our nation’s history.
The colors will go back out the next day. I will once again fly it proudly as a symbol of devotion to democracy and the rule of law, the things that have made America a great nation, admired around the world, and a chosen destination for migration from all distressed nations — just as it was for most of our own forebears since the 16th Century.
We pride ourselves on America’s soft power — the ability to strengthen our influence by striving after peace, love, understanding, sharing and hope throughout the world. Sometimes we fall short, but still, it is the flag I celebrate every day of any year that our freedom endures — except when it is being used for authoritarian purposes.
“Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law.”
Read the words. It’s a beautiful hymn to God and country.
South of Town: Notes and Scenes from Texas' Upper Gulf Coast 