Some days after the election, I witnessed a war going on between powerful symbols.
Attached to a rural mailbox was the American flag, wind unfurled, but upside down with the union stars almost touching the plowed field. Shortly after, another flag appeared in a plowed furrow behind the other one with the Stars and Stripes standing proudly and defiantly upright.
Battle lines had been drawn. These flags really looked like they were ready to fight!
Being curious, I looked up the meaning of the inverted flag. Officially, it's a sign of distress and not a sign of disrespect. According to the U.S. Code of Laws, Title 36, Chapter 10, Section 8a, it is "a signal of distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." A kind of SOS call.
I wonder if expressing that fear was the intent of our neighbor by turning the flag upside down? Was it an SOS distress signal or a political protest? Or maybe both?
Such displays of powerful symbols stir up deep emotions. While the flag didn’t become popular for individuals until 1861, today the "Stars and Stripes" is revered patriotically and even religiously.
But, whether inverting the flag is motivated by a distress warning or to protest an election, we do well to remember that our civil liberties upheld in our Constitution -- as well as codes of law -- protect our rights to freely give expression to our feelings and perspectives if they do no harm to people or property.
I’m Connie Seraphine, and that is my perspective.
