Frazz by Jef Mallett for June 14, 2016
Transcript:
Caulfield: Happy Flag Day, everyone. Here's a thought to think for fun: How would history have looked if mankind's flags had totaled none? All that pride and all that war when all we all are fighting for can fit upon a piece of cloth or two of roughly 6x4. Mrs. Olsen: I think today is supposed to be about just one flag in particular. Caulfield: Were you not listening?
eromlig over 8 years ago
Jef, you’re a true delight! My father thanks you, and I thank you.
Richard Howland-Bolton Premium Member over 8 years ago
He finds vexillology sooooo vexing!
Brass Orchid Premium Member over 8 years ago
I must admit it has been some time since I read The Art of War, but I do not remember the section on flags and banners being anything similar to this.
Fiammata over 8 years ago
:’) Thank you soooo much…
gammaguy over 8 years ago
In Denmark, the national flag — Dannebrog — is looked on not so much as a symbol of national power, but as a symbol of the people themselves. Among its other uses, the most popular wrapping paper for birthday (and other) gifts is small Danish flags on a white background.
scottbob over 8 years ago
Boy, this is moronic. Tribal warfare happened without the use of national flags.
fatchance over 8 years ago
@scottbobBar fights happen without a flag, too. When there are enough people involved to make identification a problem, you need flags. Or peace.
whiteheron over 8 years ago
It needs to be said.As does this
jamesbachreeves over 8 years ago
It’s extremely disappointing to learn that Jef Mallett is one of those who believe that our participation in WWII was about nothing more than a symbol.
normanconquest over 8 years ago
Trust no one who spells his first name “Jef.”
SkyFisher over 8 years ago
Nice thought, Jef. However, if you deny that human nature actually exists, then you are as much a radical kook as any other.
Happy, happy, happy!!! Premium Member over 8 years ago
A flag is just an abstract symbol for something.A Thumbnail for the country.
Warren Wubker over 8 years ago
My ethnic group has a flag. It’s called the Stars and Stripes.
Duncan Idaho over 8 years ago
War existed long before flags, flags are only there to identify the combatants .Take away the flags and we’d still have war, as a matter of fact based on how crowded this rock has become we may soon have a war big enough to knock us back to a pre-flag population level.
Dsnerker over 8 years ago
So what flag is currently at war with the US and the rest of the civilized world? Yes folks we are at war.
shirley_smith53 over 8 years ago
The fact that we can go to war over a comic strip speaks volumes!
loner34 over 8 years ago
Thank you for the reminder!I will get mine flying SOON.
Cerabooge over 8 years ago
♫ Well, it’s one, two, three, what are we fightin’ for? ♫
scaeva Premium Member over 8 years ago
To paraphrase (IIRC) Shaw: Against human nature the gods themselves contend in vain.
I suspect Mr. Mallett makes the mistake of believing that his human nature is, or could be, everyone’s nature. Such mistakes are how some of the worst wars in history have started.
Scott S over 8 years ago
Isn’t school out for summer by Flag Day? Or does Caulfield have to go to summer school?
Jeff0811 over 8 years ago
I must admit, I didn’t read all of the comments, there are some I routinely skip, this reminds me of John Lennon’s song, Imagine.
Lyrics below if anyone is interested.
Imagine there’s no heavenIt’s easy if you tryNo hell below usAbove us only skyImagine all the peopleLiving for today… Aha-ah...
Imagine there’s no countriesIt isn’t hard to doNothing to kill or die forAnd no religion tooImagine all the peopleLiving life in peace…
You may say I’m a dreamerBut I’m not the only oneI hope someday you’ll join usAnd the world will be as one
hippogriff over 8 years ago
Richard S. Russell It isn’t the same for all. Canada is 1:2 (rectangle, square, rectangle) while Texas is 1:3 (three congruent rectangles), Poland is 1:5 (presumably to avoid confusion with Indonesia). Most are 5:9, if the overall design doesn’t preclude it (as stated above).
foggyrobs2 Premium Member over 8 years ago
Caulfield’s (Jef’s) view is pretty much the view I arrived at forty six years ago in Viet Nam.
Brass Orchid Premium Member over 8 years ago
Who knew Caulfield could be so divisive and controversial?The difficulty is in getting the other guy, who knows both right and wrong, and that you are not right, to live and let live.
BaltimoreJack Premium Member over 8 years ago
What is it about Jef Mallett lately? First he tanks Memorial Day and now he takes shots at Flag Day, as if the U.S.A. had some kind of monopoly on flags. Plus, he posits that flags are no more than military guidons or banners leading troops into battle.Flags mean so much more than the myopic view of Jef and his spokes-character.
K M over 8 years ago
Worshiping the flag, any flag, may or may not be demented. Honoring the flag of the United States most certainly is not demented.
hippogriff over 8 years ago
normanconquest Bil Keene (Family Circus) said he started spelling his name with one l because no one ever pronounced the second one. It is possible Jef did the same to avoid confusion with an angry cat..bigskyrangerDas Aryan Meisterraße? That’s the only ethnic group I have seen claiming the Stars & Stripes represents an ethnos..Night-Gaunt49Our military is in Antarctica as well. The exception there is that under treaty, anyone has the right to enter anyone else’s base without visa, or prior clearance, just also without weapons or ill intent.
BeniHanna6 Premium Member over 8 years ago
Ahh if it were only so simple.