National flags and the state.

I’ve noticed a number of libertarians refuse to salute or respect the U.S. flag for the reason that it was created by a government.

what do you think of this? is saluting,respecting or in any way placing importance on national flags of any country actually respecting a state symbol.

do flags represent countries or government’s? if the latter, are flags an example of the fascist type idea that the nation is the state? If the former how can this be true since many national flags were government created?

I just wondered because I think it’s quite interesting and I’m undecided on the issue .I can see both sides points at times but I’m not sure if we need to completely abandon national flags.

any thoughts on this?

Later N.B. I don’t mean ALL flags.I see no problem with the An-cap ones or the Gadsden “dont tread on me” flag or even just a personally designed one for whatever reason.I’m just refering to national flags held to symbolises a country and used by governments(national or regional)

I myself am planning to plan a BIG Albanian flag atop my house, just for the fun of it. Flags originated as royal insignias, i.e. family symbols. They are, more than state icons, kinship icons, a symbolic common denominator of people who share a language. I myself see nothing wrong with flags, while honoring a flag, saluting it, bowing and the like, these are signs of reverence to the State, not nation. Hence, refusing to salute the flag seems only appropriate to me, a is myself have never risen to my anthem.

Never been a fan of flags.. but no doubt someone will post this;

http://www.threadless.com/profile/289796/spires/blog/266148/Anarcho_capitalist_flag

Alternatively;

I can imagine that christian anarchists would have a very hard time digesting the Snake and Sun symbolism. Otherwise the best an-cap flag I’ve ever seen.

Flags are just symbols. As symbols they mean different things to different people. If there is a flag that means something good to you then fly it. If not then don’t. I wouldn’t philosophize much about it.

In regards to the Pledge of Allegience or the National Anthem, I stand up and stop talking in respect to the people that have given up their lives in the military etc. But I refuse to salute to the flag, the symbol of the State.

This is my general feeling on the topic, also. When the National Anthem plays, I stand, but I don’t put my hand on my heart. That creeps out a bit how people do that. I typically sing the song, but that’s more just because I like to sing, no matter the song. :smiley:

Did you know the pledge of allegiance was created by a socialst ,Francis bellamy? It was written to instill love of the state and nationalism(in the neo-con sense not just garden patriotism)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bellamy

http://www.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo54.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/perry1.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/barnwell/barnwell29.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig/snyder3.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/gregory/gregory92.html

http://rexcurry.net/pledgesalute.html