Flag, Patriot, Folly

The time of year being what it is, I've heard again that Star Spangled Banner recently.
Through it all, that flag was still there, but what does that mean now?
The enemy can come and kill the rightful authority and take the castle, but leave the flag.
And when the warriors return to the castle, since they have been democratized and public schooled, they have allegiance to the flag and none to persons, they see nothing wrong, even as they see oppression and evil perpetrated against themselves.

Meanwhile, our poor backward ancestors would notice the king was not on his throne, or that the promises made had been broken. The warriors would hear word that their lord had fallen, and gather elsewhere. They would know their land had been stolen, that their families were in danger. It is as if we have adopted a more sophisticated grammar, only to find it dims our ability to perceive meaning, when compared to antiquated speech.

What has brought such great blindness to us? It is as if the patriot must now mimic the flag. He may complain, go to tea parties, and speak with great clarity on the wrongness of many things, but he must be a patriot. He must be still there, visible on the ramparts, while the enemy holds court in the main hall- and the local police become extremely aggressive in order to get a bit more revenue from us on our 'independence' day.