trying to grok

You know what strikes me? Is that the same people who do things like that, get incensed over people who don't abide by political correctness. Very strange...

I was practically a pariah at my American Legion post because I did not support the "protect the flag" amendment.

I don't salute the flag for what it is. I salute for what it stands for.

I didn't serve in the military to protect the flag. I served to protect everything it stands for.

Yes, in it's base form it is just a piece of cloth. I don't worship the symbol, but I dearly love the meaning behind it.

And I hate that the meaning includes allowing bozos desecrate that piece of cloth, not because of what it is, but because they don't understand nor honor what it truly means. At the same time, it makes me proud that our freedoms extend even to those who go to that extreme. Again, they don't realize just how inclusive our culture is, and how strong that makes us.

Ted, I agree with you. In fact, I find this "just a piece of cloth" comment worse than burning the flag. If you burn it, at least you think it *means* something. If it's just cloth to you, it's nothing. I'd rather someone burn it than pretend it doesn't matter.

If that spoiled brat had ever had to WORK for her freedoms, or fight for freedoms that she could not exercise (like active duty military and freedom of speech), the flag would not be "just a piece of cloth" to her.

Americans are spoiled indeed - and people like her illustrate that most.

The flag that was folded into a triangle and given to my brother and I when our father passed away is not merely a piece of cloth. It is a treasured possession with so much meaning to us.

Our flag is such a powerful symbol to many people. Some see freedom. Some see safety. Some see tyranny.

I don't think she was trying to debase it with this project. It seems like she's taken a lot of crap for it.

Mare -- I don't necessarily blame the artist, though I do use the word "art" loosely for this project; it sounds like more of a sociology experiment than art. But the people associated with protecting the project, they sure did say some dumb things.

The things that were said surrounding the project were more despicable than the project itself, I agree.

I kinda see where this young, naive and thoroughly shallow girl was headed. Just because you CAN do something to try and prove a point (or not) doesn't mean you should.

As in, I would could say, "I bet if I laid American flags on the floor of the atrium in my law school, almost no one would step on them because many were raised to see flags on the ground as wrong and improper and to walk on it would be disrespectful." It doesn't mean I'd do it or feel the need to. And, if I did, I certainly wouldn't call it 'art.' MONET is art. REMBRANDT is art.

Guard Wife's definition of art: I am not an artist...therefore, if I can do what you're doing...it ain't art!

Thank God for that veteran who stood, once again, for what the flag stands for, even if he was the only one standing in the gap. Had I been there, there would have been two of us.

It's what they call 'performance art' or what I call 'being to frickin' lazy to learn real technique and create something that takes actual time'

Art is subjective. Unfortunately we live in a world that does not value it as others have in history. To make a living at it you have to make a name for yourself by pulling stunts like this.

While I don't agree that the piece has value, I do believe in the artist's right to free speech. I just wish that she had had something more important to say to have received this sort of national attention.

And isn't it a shame that in this country the art that's pro-war or pro-troop is ignored, or worse, no one even bothers to create it. I've personally designed a few sculptures that I know would cause riots ala that Mohammed cartoon.