US Flag Day Poster 1917
On visiting America for the first time, I was instantly struck by the
unabashed prominence of the American Flag. Driving along the
leafy cul-de-sac’s of Pasadena’s more affluent neighborhoods, traversing treacherous traffic along Sunset Boulevard or even still, roaring along the Interstate, there it was in one form or another; the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ displayed in all its glory.
At first, such a conspicuous display of raw patriotism filled me with unease. The fervid national identity shared by every American citizen had yet to become agreeable to me as such a sentiment was wholly unfamiliar to my own experience. I come from a land torn apart by violence and strife, a place where neighbors murder each other at the slightest provocation and where poverty walks hand in hand with corruption and greed. So you see, it is very seldom that ordinary citizens feel compelled to display their national flag with a sense of pride or patriotism.
It did not take long however, before I too came to approach the American Flag with a degree…
