Beauty, they say, is skin deep. The proverbial “they” also says beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you’re the “Living” editor at CNN, your eyes are seeing things much differently than mine, as well as that of many others in publishing a photo series focused on Generation Y and the American flag.
It seems the photographer, Sheila Pree Bright, is a little confused about what “respect” of the American flag — following proper flag etiquette — means. Only one photo truly is respectful, and that is the photo of Kristen Alexis Kucks. The only other photo that is somewhat respectful is that of Amy C. Ashton.
In describing her work on the CNN site, Bright said she wanted to give young adults, ages 18 to 25 – Gen Y – the chance to express themselves. Bright said she gave each person an American flag and told them each to pose with the flag in a way that expresses his or her identity, as well as the person’s feelings toward the United States.
Looking at the photos, I have to wonder about the true feelings a few of these people have toward the nation.
All the other photos in the series, Generation Y reflects on what it means to be American, have the flag used in a less-than-respectful manner, especially those where it is used as an article of clothing or as full clothing itself, or where is it on the floor. One shows the flag on the floor yet draped over a girl’s body as a blanket, which is disrespectful, as is the one of the guy seemingly dragging the flag across the floor with his teeth.
On this, the 233 anniversary of America’s independence, as a U.S. Army veteran who proudly and honorably served this nation, I find most of these photos an utter disgrace. The one of Madelyne Oliver, in which it looks like she’s trying to wear the flag as some Muslim garb, is utterly disgraceful and a sad statement of this country’s young adults — especially the artist’s statement that most of the folks in the photos never handled an American flag prior to the photo shoot.
Some will maintain that each of these people are expressing their “right to free speech and expression,” much as an Art Institute of Chicago student, using public funding intended to be used in support of “the arts,” laid an American flag on the floor in February, 1989, and posted an invitation for visitors to walk or step on it. If that’s free speech and expression, so must be the act of a veteran punching the artist in the mouth.
So, what are your thoughts on the photos as we approach this year’s celebration of independence and the American way of life?
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