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Moejoe, I never did have those things taught to me as child. My parents were as socialist as they come (my father dodged the draft and whatnot, not making him socialist but it doesn't hurt) and neither of them supported this country.
I stand for the flag, not despite the history of our country, but because out of that bad (maybe despite the bad) has come and still may come, some good things. I don't believe in blind nationalism, if we were to start adopting policies which I was wholly against (and yes, I do have a definitive line for this) I would leave and not speak well by it any longer. There are also people who I hold great respect for that have bled and died for the people in this country, and I see the flag as representing them. Aye, it is emotional, but it is what I believe.
Yes, it is just a piece of cloth, and there have been many atrocities committed in its name, but there have also been many acts of good will. I will not look back on the history of this country and gaze only at the good, but I will not condemn the future of the people in this country because of the bad either. A country is not its leaders or their beliefs, it is the people within it.
Yes, our country was founded on a set of ideas, ideals, and beliefs that, for the most part, I think were right and should be worked towards. We'll probably never reach the country that anyone saw or had in mind, but in falling short will we have failed at becoming something better than what was had before? I would like to think yes, but I can't say for certain.
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