Yeah... I work in the defense industry and I’m used to ubiquitous patriotic displays and though it means nothing to me I go along out of convenience and compassion. But if someone tells me I’m not patriotic and I need to do something different, it brings out the worst in me. Rage Against the Machine starts playing in my head, and I want to say fuck you I won’t do what you tell me! Caring about and wanting the best for the country where ones friends and family live is one thing, but flags and pledges and anthems aren’t that, they’re religion. And like religion, I can respect other people express it differently than I do. But tell me I’m doing religion or patriotism wrong, or try to use patriotism or religion to cover bad behavior of people in power, or to attack someone making sincere criticisms of the same... that makes me angry.