Heidi and I had several mini-debates about whether I could fly a flag outside the house on days like the 4th. We live in a time when “patriotism” is often used to ask for a blank check for government actions. For a while now, patriotism has been wielded as a tool of conservatives who are increasingly arguing for more and more government intrusiveness in our private lives while offering less scrutiny to the business world.

The 4th has prompted others to consider this debate. I found this LA Weekly editorial via Atrios. I want to take back the flag as a unifying symbol, not one that is divisive. I realize that I’ll never agree with everyone in the country on just about anything. I don’t ever want anyone ashamed or embarrassed to fly the flag outside their home.

Part of the problem is that we all focus on differences so much that we often forget the vast amounts of life, culture, and attitudes that we all have in common. The flag symbolizes all of that.

The flag, as a symbol of the nation, is not owned by the administration in power, but by the people. We battle over what it means, but all Americans - across the political spectrum - have an equal right to claim the flag as their own.