The Pin Is Back!

There's no hidden agenda. Look at the history of the flag lapel pin. It sprouted profusely on the lapels of elected officials when Americans were being led into the Iraq war. Today we know that much of the evidence for war was cherry picked and false. We also know that the war was directed by an incompetent Sec of Defense who refused to listen to the commanders on the ground; that Secretary could always be seen wearing that metal flag pin. Early on in the campaign, rather than adopting a symbolic showing of patriotism through the wearing of a metal flag pin, Obama opted for a more complex showing of patriotism that involved reflective thinking and honesty. Then several days ago he was handed a lapel flag pin by a veteran and chose to place it on his lapel in honor of that veteran and all veterans. It is the veterans who have lived patriotism rather than wear patriotism.