Ok, I'm watching MSNBC and they are talking about the fact that Barack Obama won't wear a U.S. flag lapel pin, and because he won't wear one, he's being called "unpatriotic"...

Your thoughts on this?

Since when does a lapel pin make you patriotic or not. How asinine and it is way dirty politics.

:rolleyes how stupid. I don't wear a pin, am I unpatriotic?? I was watching that on the Today show. Some of it also had to do with how he answered the question.. some felt he was looking down on those who do.. still :jerkit what a way to spin things.

I saw that this morning while I was sitting in the ER. :yes I think the entire "drama" is stupid.

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

Good for Obama for saying it. I hope people actually pay attention. I would rather see their voting record pinned to their lapel, not a flag.

:rolleyes how stupid. I don't wear a pin, am I unpatriotic?? I was watching that on the Today show. Some of it also had to do with how he answered the question.. some felt he was looking down on those who do.. still :jerkit what a way to spin things.

Those are my thoughts too. I hate how politics is such a dirty game. People will think of anything to try and discredit another opponent.

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

Good for Obama for saying it. I hope people actually pay attention. I would rather see their voting record pinned to their lapel, not a flag.

Well said.

I think it's stupid. How many of you gals wear a USA Flag Lapel pin on a daily basis? I know must of us aren't running for a political office, but still we can show our loyality to the country without wearing a pin. I don't wear one and before 9/11 I don't remember any government people or regular Americans who did. Personally, I love this great country of ours very much. So I think it's all really stupid.

Trina you said it SO much better.

My Mom DOES where a flag lapel pin everyday. :)

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

Good for Obama for saying it. I hope people actually pay attention. I would rather see their voting record pinned to their lapel, not a flag.


ITA!!!!!!!!

If I am running for an office and have my photograph taken on a daily basis, you bet I'll have my flag pin on. Now, I wear my pin (it's a Navy flag crossed with an American Flag) on holidays on my jacket or shirt, and all the other days it's on my purse. And I'm not even a politician running for the presidential office of the land of the free? I'd ask WHY he won't wear one.

As for Obama, I don't know enough about him to say if he's unpatriotic or not. But I think this will hurt his ratings. I don't care much either way!

Once again the media gets hold of something that is completely unworthy of most of our time and makes it into something bigger than it needs to be.

Lets count the minutes dedicated to these type of stories on all 3 morning talk shows and then apply it to the number of people who watch. Okay, we've got that number in our heads right? Now imagine if all those people took all that time and oh I don't know....helped someone? wrote a letter to a soldier? volunteered at a homeless shelter? read a story to a kindergarten class? walked to work instead of drove?

Ugh. I hate the media sometimes. I'll step down off my soapbox. I'm just as guilty as everyone else of watching sometimes, but there are days where my tolerance is lower.

If I am running for an office and have my photograph taken on a daily basis, you bet I'll have my flag pin on. Now, I wear my pin (it's a Navy flag crossed with an American Flag) on holidays on my jacket or shirt, and all the other days it's on my purse. And I'm not even a politician running for the presidential office of the land of the free? I'd ask WHY he won't wear one.

As for Obama, I don't know enough about him to say if he's unpatriotic or not. But I think this will hurt his ratings. I don't care much either way!

To me there are far more issues at hand in our nation then if a presidential hopeful wears a lapel pin. i am more concerned on where he stands on Iraq, military pay/benefits, health care in America, education in America, abortion, immigration, human right issues, child welfare, environmental issues, becoming less dependent on oil etc. THOSE issues how ever you feel about them (for or against I mean) are important not a lapel pin.

It's not my place to judge whether or not he's patriotic or not. And I think it's ridiculous for people (especially the media) to make absurd assumptions when it's really not their place.... and when they don't know the entire story.

Just like Trina said... having a magnetic ribbon on your SUV doesn't necessarily make you patriotic either. :shrug

My grandma wore one every day when she was alive, but that's cause she LOVED the USA. I agree with wicked, i don't wear one and it doesn't make me unpatriotic.

I'm just curious if he has made a statement explaining why he won't wear it.

Silence can me much more harmful to a career than speaking up and saying "this is me...and this is why."

It's one thing for us all to speculate that he's making the "lapel pins don't make you patriotic" statement - but it's entirely another for him to actually MAKE the statement. I think if he came out and SAID what Trina said, his ratings may just soar. Most people will see a headline "Unpatriotic Obama refuses to wear US Flag pin during time of war..." and fall hook line and sinker for whatever MSNBC has to say.

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

Good for Obama for saying it. I hope people actually pay attention. I would rather see their voting record pinned to their lapel, not a flag.

yeah...what she said! lol

I'm just curious if he has made a statement explaining why he won't wear it.

Silence can me much more harmful to a career than speaking up and saying "this is me...and this is why."

It's one thing for us all to speculate that he's making the "lapel pins don't make you patriotic" statement - but it's entirely another for him to actually MAKE the statement. I think if he came out and SAID what Trina said, his ratings may just soar. Most people will see a headline "Unpatriotic Obama refuses to wear US Flag pin during time of war..." and fall hook line and sinker for whatever MSNBC has to say.

He did speak up. Here are articles from all of the major US news organizations.

Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299439,00.html
MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21138728/
CNN: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/presidential-candidates/barack-obama/
Yahoo: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071004/ap_on_el_pr/obama_no_flag_pin
ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3690000&page=1
CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/04/politics/main3330992.shtml

Strange enough, I couldn't find a story about it on the BBC site. I have no idea if they covered it, but if they did they sure didn't make it a big deal. Why can't AMERICAN media be like that?

oh sometimes the media is sooo silly.
and by sometimes i mean always.
and by silly i mean stupid.

oh sometimes the media is sooo silly.
and by sometimes i mean always.
and by silly i mean stupid.

:lolsign

Since when does a lapel pin make you patriotic or not. How asinine and it is way dirty politics.

Exactly. Maybe I'm just in a bitchy mood tonight, but I think sometimes some people just need to get over themselves and get off the "unpatriotic" bandwagon:rolleyes

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

Good for Obama for saying it. I hope people actually pay attention. I would rather see their voting record pinned to their lapel, not a flag.

very well said :yes ITA

I'm just curious if he has made a statement explaining why he won't wear it.

Silence can me much more harmful to a career than speaking up and saying "this is me...and this is why."

It's one thing for us all to speculate that he's making the "lapel pins don't make you patriotic" statement - but it's entirely another for him to actually MAKE the statement. I think if he came out and SAID what Trina said, his ratings may just soar. Most people will see a headline "Unpatriotic Obama refuses to wear US Flag pin during time of war..." and fall hook line and sinker for whatever MSNBC has to say.
If I am running for an office and have my photograph taken on a daily basis, you bet I'll have my flag pin on. Now, I wear my pin (it's a Navy flag crossed with an American Flag) on holidays on my jacket or shirt, and all the other days it's on my purse. And I'm not even a politician running for the presidential office of the land of the free? I'd ask WHY he won't wear one.


Well I heard his reasoning and he stated that after 9/11 every american was wearing an american flag and then after they went to war the flag wearing was a representation of supporting the war in Iraq. He said he did not want to wear the flag for that reason because he did not support the war in Iraq. AND i totally agree with him on that. He said he will show his patriotism through his actions and not how many pins he has on his jacket.

Well I heard his reasoning and he stated that after 9/11 every american was wearing an american flag and then after they went to war the flag wearing was a representation of supporting the war in Iraq. He said he did not want to wear the flag for that reason because he did not support the war in Iraq. AND i totally agree with him on that. He said he will show his patriotism through his actions and not how many pins he has on his jacket.

Thanks for the info. And thank you for the links, Wicked :yes

But how can he say that everyone wearing a flag is supporting the Iraq war?!?! That's a little bit out there. I agree that actions speak louder than words or lapel pins, but jayswifey it seems like he more or less made a direct insult with that reasoning to those that believe you can support the troops without supporting the war.

Since when does a lapel pin make you patriotic or not. How asinine and it is way dirty politics.

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

Good for Obama for saying it. I hope people actually pay attention. I would rather see their voting record pinned to their lapel, not a flag.
OOHHH MY GOODNESS... someone stop the presses. I agree with Wicked AND Green Mammy :scared :teehee

oh sometimes the media is sooo silly.
and by sometimes i mean always.
and by silly i mean stupid.
:lmao that is a good one

Thanks for the info. And thank you for the links, Wicked :yes

But how can he say that everyone wearing a flag is supporting the Iraq war?!?! That's a little bit out there. I agree that actions speak louder than words or lapel pins, but jayswifey it seems like he more or less made a direct insult with that reasoning to those that believe you can support the troops without supporting the war.

Definately out there!

Thanks for the info. And thank you for the links, Wicked :yes

But how can he say that everyone wearing a flag is supporting the Iraq war?!?! That's a little bit out there. I agree that actions speak louder than words or lapel pins, but jayswifey it seems like he more or less made a direct insult with that reasoning to those that believe you can support the troops without supporting the war.

I dont really think he did. I saw his respond on the news out here on NBC i believe. This whole thing came about because the reasoning why G. Bush wears his pin and Bush stated he wears his for that reason ....to support the war then Obama stated that he will not wear it for that reason.....I think he was saying that you can support the troops but not the war and a pin shouldn't be able to decide which one you do, so he chooses not to wear it at all. I dont think he was insulting anyone just stating why he wasnt going to wear it.

I really think the republican party was just trying to find something to nag about. JMO

I'm a republican, and I like Obama. :dunno I'm just trying to figure out what he's trying to say, and yes analyzing the way he says it. IMO, if someone tells me I can only wear my flag pin if I'm supporting the war, I'm going to call BS on them. Just as if Mr. Bush told me I was supporting the war by wearing my pin, I'd call BS on him as well.

For all they know, I'm wearing my pin because it was my great uncle Franks birthday who died in WW2. KWIM? It's just really detestable to make a huge blanket statement like that about something SO inconsequential.

I think he is making a statement, and I agree with him. Lapel pins don't make you patriotic. Car magnets don't make you patriotic. Flying a flag outside of your house doesn't make you patriotic. Typing a yellow ribbon around your tree doesn't make you patriotic. Getting involved in your community, voting, volunteering, helping your fellow American... those things make you patriotic.

:truesign

My good friend is about as opposite from me politically as possible, and would never call herself patriotic, but I think she is, because she is involved, votes, calls her representatives, and does what she can. Your actions make you a patriot and a committed citizen, and nothing else.