patriotism

a funny thing happened yesterday, or maybe it's just that i only started noticing yesterday, but when the national anthem played, everyone in the lobby stopped walking out to their cars, and actually stopped to face the flag. the last time i was out in the lobby when the anthem played, i remember walking out with everyone else without even paying attention to the music.

maybe it's a renewed sense of patriotism after the inauguration.

and i realized that in the past, i felt that the national anthem didn't mean anything proud to me, when hearing it evoked a sense of moral and political disgust, and brought up images of american military propaganda and a banner that was becoming more disliked around the world and even internally. however, yesterday it suddenly gave me a different feeling, that change is possible and that finally we have a man in the white house who would turn that flag back into a beacon of pride. one can only imagine the feeling that the stars and stripes would awaken in men serving under george washington, when america was a proud and indignant country to be, struggling to survive with nothing but hope, and for nothing but ideals. maybe we are on the path again to return the american flag, and the national anthem, to the rightful place in people's eyes.

meanwhile, i still need to catch the shuttle at 5:15, so see ya people in the lobby.