i've had mixed feelings br about the American flag br ever since they lowered it br for President Kennedy... br it took a beating during br the civil rights movement. br and then there was Vietnam, br all the atrocities, the lies, br the wasted deaths... br the marches, the protests, br the Kent State killings... br and the flag was burned br in anger, and i understood br the anger br and now the corporate takeover, br the loss of human rights, br the loss of dignity, and hope br how many deaths does it take? br JFK, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King br forty thousand plus in Vietnam br how many in the lying oil wars br in Iraq and Afghanistan? br how many homeless and jobless br does it take? br how many migrant workers treated br like animals? br how many old people have to lose br the benefits they've worked for? br br and i think back to my old hero, br Thomas Jefferson what would he say? br maybe something like this: br 'the real American flag isnt made of cloth, br it's drawn on the backs of the American workers. br male and female of all races and religions, br the people that built this country br the heart blood of this country. br when you put these people down br with your greed, your lies, your apathy br then you lower the flag.