Facebook tells me it’s two years since I visited Kraków. It’s a lovely city with castle, cathedral, large square and wasps. The latter interfering with a rather nice al fresco pizza and prosecco moment with mother-in-law.
It’s a cheap place to go and I’d recommend it. But today’s Facebook reminder was over thirty images of our visit to Auschwitz. The glorious sun that followed us on the rest of the trip made way for a miserable and appropriate rain that day. Seeing what’s there in the misery of dampness helped me to picture the awfulness just that little bit more clearly.
And, in the shadow of those images, I head off to the USA South West in less than two weeks. A place I love, probably more than any, but it’s the scenery that attracts.
I’ve seen the Confederate flag flying outside people’s houses in the past. It didn’t really raise an eyebrow, maybe my lack of American History knowledge explains that. But with recent goings on over the pond, the rise of the Nazi flag alongside the Confederate flag is genuinely scary.
If I could ever be bothered I wouldn’t be averse to a flagpole with a union flag or a cross of St George. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of national or even regional pride. I’m probably a bit too tight to splash out though.
But to have visited Auschwitz and then see images of Nazi flags flying in 21st century USA? That is a serious WTF is going on moment for my head to cope with. Stick your Stars and Stripes up by all means. Have pride in your state. But Nazi imagery flying with pride outside your property? That is seriously messed up.
At least you seem to have a freedom to display the symbols that show how screwed up your thinking is.
Seeing the World 