Draped in the Flag

You are familiar with the now standard practice of Olympic gold medal winners taking a victory lap waving or draped in their country's flag. I think Americans started the practice. Pretty gauche and unsportsmanlike. My tennis playing colleague objects.

Today, my colleague and I saw students on campus draped in the Lebanese flag. I thought, that's nice, they are proud their country is coming out from under the domination by Syria. My friend the tennis player thought, that's tasteless, how does that make the Syrians feel?

I went up to the students to ask what it meant to them, that they draped themselves in the Lebanese flag. They said they were Hezbolla. They were pro-Syrian Lebanese.

The same symbol can be used to mean different things. Are flags dangerous? They are potent. That's for sure.