Right now I am flying flags on my house and car. I am flying it because this is a country in which i am free to disagree with my government when my moral responsibilities tell me to. Because so many have died to protect us. Because without the systems of government which I so casually dismissed as silly before have probably saved thousands more innocent lives. Because of the rescue workers, the volunteers, the people who have raided their grocery stores and medicine cabinets to gather the thousands of blankets, towels, toothbrushes, bars of soap and the like that I helped to sort at the local Red Cross last night I am flying it because I LOVE the people of this country, our optimism, willingness to help, strength in the face of fear. I love my family and my home, which are both in America. So many of my heroes -- Martin Luther King, Woody guthrie, Maya Angelou, Pete Seeger -- are Americans and have worked tirelessly to improve this country. Finally, there has come a call to display the flag which I cannot ignore.

I will fly the flag until (and I hhope this does not occur) I am ashamed to fly it, because of acts of hatred, bigotry, and small-mindedness, or because our government loses my support. That happened to a lot of us in the Gulf War. I plead, everyone, STAY sane, SPREAD sanity, and let us all display our flag with pride and hope. Don't defile it with shameful acts. The time for that has come to an end.