In response to the 9/11 tragedy. I hung the flag outside our front door. A lot of the neighbors did the same. It is very moving to drive around the neighborhood and see the flags on houses and the red, white and blue ribbons on cars and porches.
In a quite unpatriotic gesture, someone stole my flag this weekend.

I agree. Some see it as cliche. Some even a sign of groupthink. Some even as an evil symbol of how corrupt and broken we are. I see them as a glowing symbol of our ability to come together when needed and leave all the bullshit behind...