Staff Reports
Tim O’Brien’s Flag Day op‑ed — an expanded repost of his old blog piece, prompted by a colleague’s own Flag Day column — lands where a lot of sane Americans live: somewhere between respect for sacrifice and plain common sense. He doesn’t make standing for the American flag a shallow ritual. He makes it a choice to find common ground. That’s the small, stubborn idea worth defending right now.
Why the American Flag Still Matters
O’Brien’s piece reminds us that standing for the flag is more than ceremony. It’s remembrance — for the men and women who gave everything under that cloth — and it’s also a gesture toward strangers who share this country. You can argue politics all you want, but the flag is one piece of common ground that says, “We are both Americans.” If you want unity that actually means something, start there.
Flag Day, America250, and the Bigger Conversation
This year’s Flag Day pieces carry extra weight because America250 has pushed patriotic symbolism back into public view. That semiquincentennial energy has turned simple acts — standing, singing, honoring — into a larger national conversation. Conservatives are right to say that patriotism isn’t partisan. If the White House, states, and nonprofits are planning big events, don’t treat the flag like a prop to be politicized. It’s a symbol, not a slogan factory.
The National Anthem, Kneeling, and Free Expression
Yes, kneeling during the national anthem began as a protest and remains a form of speech. That history matters and should be respected. But respect works two ways: one person’s protest doesn’t have to erase another person’s decision to stand. O’Brien’s point — standing as an offer of common ground, not a demand for perfection — is a reasonable response to a culture that too often grades patriotism on moral purity. If you insist on perfect politics at the ballpark, you’ve already lost the ability to persuade anyone.
Where We Go From Here
O’Brien’s Flag Day essay is a short, stubborn argument for civility and solidarity. It doesn’t pretend America is flawless — far from it — but it insists the time to love this country is now, warts and all. So stand if you want. Respect someone who kneels if you must. But don’t pretend that tearing down every shared symbol is a shortcut to better politics. If unity is your goal, try this simple, old‑fashioned start: stand for the flag and see who stands with you.
