I love our flag and flags generally. To me, having a flagpole in the front yard with Old Glory is politically neutral. I've been wondering if there are subtle inferences people might draw about me if I were to fly the stars and stripes, not just on civic holidays.
Do people with US flags in front of their homes tend to lean one way politically? What do you assume about them? Are silent judgements passed on people who express nonpartisan patriotism? Does this vary from one region to another?
34 comments
It amazes me that people view this as controversial…
I suspect it’s more common in more conservative and/or military circles, and that would very lightly color my assumptions, but that’s more due to my personal experience of the demographics, not, like, an intrinsic judgment of character. But I like our flag, and flags generally, and our country, and I’m not in those circles, so I think you should fly it.
I don’t think about it. Do whatever you want.
No it’s just another lawn decoration. Where I lived each house had a flagpole holder on the column by the front steps. Lots of people flew US flags, sometimes every day but sometimes just holidays. Some fly North Carolina flags, a few fly city of Raleigh flags. Often people fly decorative flags related to various holidays or local college or pro sports teams. The only one I judge is the guy who flies a Stealers flag.
The United States Flag stands for all of us. It *should* be the least controversial flag to fly, but unfortunately that’s not always the case.
They might be more conservative than not. If I had to bet money, they probably are. But a single flag isn’t a huge political statement.
I find the thin blue line flag to be hugely problematic, especially when it flies alone or higher than the US Flag.
I just like flags, and the star-spangled banner is a handsome one, in my opinion. To be clear, I’m talking about the standard American flag… not the Thin Blue Line or any other modified design. The flag would fly alone on its pole; no other banners underneath it.
I live in a very non conservative area that is very anti Trump. I see the US flag in yards. Were all Americans and proud of it. This isn’t the UK where they’re ashamed to fly the Union Jack or even the St George’s Cross.
We fly our flag because our FIL lives on our property.
He’s a veteran of Vietnam who doesn’t think he deserves any acknowledgment whatsoever because of the response he received when he returned from war.
We’ve been working on that with him by honoring him. The flag is important to him, therefore it is important to us that we display it for him.
I’m very liberal in general, and I regularly fly the flag out front of my house.
I love my country, warts and all – I wanna make it better, but that doesn’t mean I love it any less.
Plus the flag is pretty for its own reasons
All political orientations fly the flag, especially around the 4th of July.
I have found that Republicans are more likely to fly it year round but plenty of Democrats, independents, and others also fly the flag year round.
Conclusion: no, there are only real implications one way or another other than you like America and you’re probably patriotic.
One flag is pretty nice.
15 flags and a lot of handmade political messages, not so much.
Implications? That the person flying the flag is American.
To be sure, there are other ways in which people display their political leanings for better or for worse. But just displaying the American flag doesn’t imply something to me one way or the other. It’s my flag just as much as it is yours.
I don’t assume anything other than they’re proud enough of their country to fly the flag.
I’ll be the first to admit the U.S. has some serious issues, but I love living here anyway.
Completely neutral and normal. Maybe they have a veteran in the family, or maybe they just love being American.
As long as that flag is Red, White, and Blue. If it’s some other colors, then they have an agenda that you might agree or disagree with.
Absolutely wild that an American flag in a yard in America would have any sort of negative implication or opinion associated.
Don’t fly it upside-down and dont fly other flags higher than it. Otherwise you’re a-ok to fly it without people assuming your political affiliations
My parents almost always have a flag flying in front of their house. My dad escaped communist East Germany when he was 18. It is a sign of appreciation to the US for taking his family in and giving them a good life.
I’m in New York. The flag is politically neutral. What does baffle me is when I see the confederate flag in upstate New York. We’re a union state? Now, that’s a statement.
It’s very liberating to be able to do something that’s meaningful to you without giving a shit what others think of it.
I don’t have a flag because frankly, it’s just one more thing to mow around, but I don’t have issues with people that do
> Do people with US flags in front of their homes tend to lean one way politically?
Not to my knowledge.
>What do you assume about them?
Nothing in particular. Maybe they like the United States, I guess?
>Are silent judgements passed on people who express nonpartisan patriotism?
Not from me. I’m sure some people do, but those folk prolly need to touch grass.
>Does this vary from one region to another?
Couldn’t tell you. Maybe there’s a reliable survey somewhere, but I don’t care enough to go looking.
Eta
One of these days I’ma fly the Gadsen, the American, the Pride, my State, and maybe a city flag.
Then to confuse people I’ma do Pride and Confederate.
I think that’ll be great.
Anyone who makes “subtle inferences” about me one way or another for flying my country’s flag on my own property here in these United States can kiss my red white and blue Yankee Doodle ass.
Around these parts (Ohio) these are typically viewed as political statements by republicans. Which can be confusing, given there’s now another subset of republicans hanging the flag for distress and pleading to heaven nowadays.
Maybe it depends on your locale and general demographics.
I know my stance is an outlier among many americans, but I find all forms of flag displaying as cringe and have seen it as cringe since I was a child. Its fine on state and civic buildings since that is state property, but having watched the government become more antagonistic to current and future generations over the past few decades I see it as a display of blind faith and a lack of critical awareness to the political reality of our country. Especially with increasingly poor civic engagement in our communities.
Its also a practice that is considered as extremely conservative with the exception of veterans.
The issue is where I live, everybody has their American flags up next to the Trump flags and I’ve seen waaaaaay too many confederate flags up there with it also. Which is backwards in its own way.
It’s just something people like to decorate their house with, I don’t really associate any particular political leaning to it. Personally though I don’t have any flags in or on or near my house but that’s just me.
No coded messages. I don’t read into it. It’s just a nice thing to see.
A US flag on it’s own is very neutral in my opinion. I do subtly accept the person to be generally friendly and open to strangers, probably a remnant of my days doing door to door fundraising.
I live in a very liberal area and anytime I see an American flag somewhere other than a government building it’s clear to me that the person flying it is either conservative or doesnt ‘do’ politics. But we rarely see it here. If I do see it it’s usually with trump flags and blue lives matter flags. IT makes me uncomfortable, in my experience those people are looking for a fight.
It’s much more common to see pride flags or state flags around here.
An exception would be as a part of fourth of July decor, usually with bunting and red white and blue flowers.
They may assume that you’re American.
I have a small flag on my house. When my daughter visits, she sometimes swaps it for a Pride flag. I’m fine with that, but I suspect it drives my MAGA neighbor nuts.
The US flag *will* be up for Memorial Day, Flag Day, and 4 July.
We’re quite conservative and fly a flag. I’m also a veteran. No one will think twice about it.
Fly the flag in your yard. Doing so helps in even some small way to prevent our flag from having any sort of implication other than what it should mean: an American lives there and believes in some foundational principles. Life, liberty, and justice for all. All people are created equal. Etc.
Too many other cool symbols have been co-opted by extremists. The more normal people that fly the American flag, the less possible it is for them to take that one, too.