Patriotism

Patriotism--quite a word, quite a concept. As a kid growing up in the 50's, still seeing the graphics and memories from WWII, I had the compulsory stirring of the blood, so easy to manipulate--proud of my school, proud of my town, proud of my race, proud of my state, and proud of my America, the Eisenhower years, those 1958 Buicks with twelve pounds of chrome on one door that said to the world that the United States was the most prosperous country in the history of the world and by God, nobody better mess with us for any reason; stoked up on John Wayne war movies, and ready to salute the flag, or do my part whenever asked. Then came the 60's, and my country did ask, did insist that I join the military and get involved in the 10 years of the war in Viet Nam--and the world changed, and patriotism became something sour in our throat, as we mingled and demonstrated against the war by the hundreds of thousands, braving the cops and the state militias. And now here we are trying out best to dig out from the crater hole of fascism and misplaced patriotism brought on by the Bush years and already 8 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veteran's Day has come and gone, and today I felt drawn to the propaganda, the superlative graphics of war bond drives and recruitment posters. So gaze at the history of our patriotism when it still meant something, when WWI and WWII required the maximum sacrifice from every citizen; unlike Korea and Viet Nam and the New Crusades of today. I offer these images as the icons they were. You feel about them as you may, as you need to.

Glenn Buttkus