Peter Gabriel once sang, “If looks could kill, they probably will in games without frontiers, war without tears.”
A song about the absurdity of conflict all dressed up in national pride, It takes grown up politics and mimics childhood games with deadly consequences. Children with flags that are weaponized. A symbol that might have started with a positive intention gets hijacked and used to divide us.
We dress up our causes with banners and slogans, each of us waving our own flag...
We forget that the same zeal if left unchecked can burn hot. The grass of compassion, humility, and understanding can't grow on that kind of ground.
June rolls in with its bright sun and the bold colors of Pride Month. Once a flag that said, “see me, let me be, love me,” now feels more like a corporate campaign or a cultural landmine, depending on where you stand.
That is what we do. We turn every flag, every tribe, every cause into a side. Sides that eventually stop talking and start fighting.
I’m not knocking anyone's passion. Lord knows my volcano spurts with animation regularly. Though, when the smoke blinds you and the lava burns bridges instead of lighting the way, maybe it’s time to ask....
...what are we really waving our flags for?
Maybe the answer can be found in Gabriel's lyrics and Gibran's quote?
The first Farmer's Market of the summer is today and rain might make the zucchinis a little soggy. Rainy day Wednesday might be a good reason to bring your flag in from the wind.
