Flying the flag is great. But having the NYCFD bring in the twin towers flag to the olympic fiels wasn't flying the flag. It was pushing our political agenda on our international guests.
If I went to the olympics in Germany (just to pick a country), I'd expect to see the German flag, I'd stand and remove my hat in respect for my hosts, I'd expect to see a big show including oktoberfest, leiderhosen, beer steins, helmut kohl, and other things German and I'd think it was great, I was probably there to see the country anyway. But if they brought out the national symbol of their latest political posturing over some country they're fighting with today, I'd not be impressed.
The olympics in Salt Lake is the place to show national pride, fly the flag, show em apple pie, hot dogs, and 67' chevy's. Sing the American anthem and make them feel welcome. But that particular flag isn't about national pride, that particular flag is about a recent political event.
That flag belongs at the Superbowl...that's an event for Americans, tour it around the country's highschools, fly it every morning on TV, even bring it to the UN (where interntional political disputes are appropriate), but we should be a gracious host for a couple of weeks and not force feed our political agendas on our welcome guests.
