Flags: Symbols and Banners

Flags:

Symbols and Banners.

Fair to say there have been flags and banners all over the place the last few weeks. Their symbology and meaning creating much debate, anger and deep feeling.
A symbol, by it's design is a paradoxical and slippery thing full of many meanings to many people. It can have deep cultural significance, be both loved and hated, a symbol of love, or freedom, or hate, or all of those things at the same time depending on who is reading it.
The thing about a symbol is that you can't have a "correct" or "right" view of it. Nor can you simply wipe away aspects of it you don't like simply because you wish them not to be there.
The Confederate Flag has a problem right now in so much (and as far as I can tell). It is the similar problem to the St Georges Cross (English flag). The problem is the people who tend to wave them around, put them on their cars, hang them in their gardens tend to be, well, utter violent racist dicks.
Now regardless of it's long history, it's multitude of meaning, and so on and so on, what people remember is "Oh, dicks!"
Now the people who rightly or wrongly see this as something else, a historical and poignant reminder of some nostalgic past glory, get all huffy and weird and try and correct the people who have, for the most part, had to live around people waving it and around, shouting and generally being dicks. They have this overwhelming desire to correct people to it's "real" meaning.
This is the mistake. If this flag has some deep seated beautiful message you want to share, don't try and convert us. Nope it won't work. What you need to do is honestly address is the behaviour of those waving it around being racist dicks.
You can not erase the common and over riding message of violence and hate until you deal with those who use this image as a banner underwhich this behaviour is normal, right and good.
I might also suggest, that the "I'm not racist but..." look really closely in a mirror.
This symbol is being used to terrorise and hurt people. Right now. It is being used as a cape to dress up violent hatred. It is being used as a way to make appalling, and inexcusable actions political rather than simply mindless hate.

Rainbows

I have always been found of rainbows, as my vintage Rainbow Bright doll smiling down at me will attest to.

I like songs about rainbows.
I like rainbows, there is something beautiful about them, something poignant, fragile and full of magick. As LGBT symbols I don't think it could be more perfect. It is a symbol of peace, hope and comfort.
Of course sometimes a rainbow is still just a rainbow. Sometimes folks just like the pretty colours and some people get offended by it's LGBT associations.
This what happens with symbols. They become infused with new meanings all the time. Attached to those who use them, wave them and display them. You can not separte them from meanings once added.
I have never been to a LGBT Pride parade. It simply isn't something I have exprienced. Yet I find the rainbow more beautiful, more full of meaning and if I had to choose a flag (other than the dragon) I would choose this one.

Bright Blessings xxx

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