Manistee — Election year in Michigan is no small event, especially given that the state, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, is one of the key rust-belt states whose tight race will likely determine the election. Politically inclined Michiganders know this well, and the bravest among them participate in a time-honored American tradition—putting up roadside flags and signs.
Traveling up through the center of the state, I noticed an elaborate roadside display. Never able to beat the “photographer” allegations, I pulled off to take a picture. Usually, I like to just take my photos and get out. They end up more natural that way, and it avoids potential confrontations with an expensive camera in hand.
So when the homeowner spotted me and came barreling out his front door, I was prepared for an awkward scene. I was standing on the man’s front lawn, after all, my car door agape and flashers blinking. I was basically trespassing, and he had a Gadsden flag with its yellow snake and “Don’t Tread On Me” flying, so I half expected to be staring down the barrel of a shotgun.
Much to the contrary, he came out and shook my hand. He was eager to talk to me, to tell me about his flag display and his politics. He simply assumed I was a fellow traveler, sympathetic to his cause, who stopped by to admire his shrine. There was no wariness of a stranger with a camera, no fear or reservation in his mind. He believed in himself so strongly that there was no room for doubt.
The centerpiece of the sign was a black and white POW-MIA display. He said he was a Gulf War veteran who served in the Army during the campaign. His politics changed after the war. The contrast between the resounding victory of American military might and the hidden, subliminal betrayals of service members during the campaign. Soldiers were left reeling from a variety of illnesses caused by the novel biomedical regimens that were supposed to protect them.
Gulf War Syndrome, which nearly half the combat veterans of the campaign suffer from, is a group of illnesses, mainly neurological, that afflicts deployed veterans at a far higher rate than non-deployed veterans of that era. This isn’t just PTSD, it’s the effect of health measures imposed on soldiers with unknown risks.
Exposure to Sarin, a toxic pesticide. Pills containing Pyridostigmine, meant as a pre-treatment for nerve-gas exposure. Burn pits, oil-well fires, depleted uranium munitions, high-powered microwave weapons, multiple sequences of vaccinations against anthrax and botulinum. Veterans of the campaign were subjected to measures with unknown and undisclosed risk profiles.
Victory and betrayal, all at once. This veteran reflected that double-edged sword: fiercely patriotic and proud of America, yet deeply distrustful of the government. Proud enough to fly the flag, yet opinionated enough to fly a Gadsden flag, several Trump flags, and a flag commemorating veterans in particular reading, “some gave all.”
He told me, “They’re gonna take a shot at Trump.” This was well before the attempted assassination, mind you, and to be fair, he wasn’t the only one saying this. A strong Trump supporter, and resentful of the political establishment, he was so optimistic for Trump’s chances that he felt the only thing that could stop him was a bullet.
My point isn’t to promote this man’s beliefs. My point is that he represented American politics in the abstract at their best. Proud, active, unashamed, even gaudy—he flies his flags and comes right out to talk about them. Driving around the state, you won’t see as many elaborate displays as his, but keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll see smaller inklings. Thin Blue Line flags, Gadsden flags, American flags with boat anchors in place of the stars around the countless inland lake communities. All signifying an independent spirit and willingness to stand for something, out in the open.
Hell, even in the cities, you’ll see pride flags and those “In This House, We Believe…” signs. The urbanites don’t feel any shame promoting their beliefs. The public institutions, the colleges, the art museums, they all hang BLM and pride flags in their windows without fear. There’s a lesson in this. What matters most is the willingness to be daring and advocate for yourself.
Plant those road signs and fly those flags, knowing that you’re staking your claim in the town square, participating in the visual debate of American politics. Don’t be afraid, and don’t be ashamed. The only way this works is if we’re true to ourselves, if we make ourselves known, if we stand for what we believe without fear.
Bobby Mars is an artist, alter ego, and former art professor. Follow him on X @bobby_on_mars.
