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Flags and Helpers

2013-04-16 · letter vlog · John · 1:54 · watch on YouTube

Topic: World affairs (also: US politics & society) · mode: Personal essay · tags: timely hook, heavy topic

Reacting to the Boston Marathon bombing, John argues that the race's 96 side-by-side flags stand for a larger "us" that needs no "them", that some flags came down not from the blast but when helpers tore down barricades to reach the injured, and that we can always look in hope to the helpers and try to be among them.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Boston Marathon attacks seen on Tumblr; "an insult to cowards"; recording on the way to the dentist; who did it is unknown

  • ★ John learned of the Boston Marathon attacks from a post on his Tumblr dashboard the day before and knew immediately something was very wrong. — 00:00:00 · Tumblr
  • ★★ John says coordinated attacks near the Boston Marathon finish line killed at least two people and injured more than a hundred. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ John says he does not know what to say about the attack, but calling it cowardly is an insult to cowards. — 00:00:00
  • ★ John records on his way to the dentist, seatbelt unbuckled because he is in a parking lot. (playful) — 00:00:00
  • ★★ John says it is not yet known who was responsible for the marathon attack. — 00:00:00

00:00:29 — Flags along the route as symbols of nationalism: a particular us and, by extension, a them

  • ★★★ John says a flag is what you sing your anthem and pledge allegiance to: a symbol of a particular us (Zambian, Norwegian, American) that makes everyone else a them. — 00:00:29 · othering

00:00:58 — The 96 flags side by side stand for a larger us; they come down when helpers tear down barricades; Mr. Rogers: look for the helpers

  • ★★★ John says the marathon flags stand side by side, none higher, for a larger us sharing a human endeavor that does not require a them. — 00:00:58 · othering
  • ★★ John says the 96 flags along the route represent the nations of the Boston Marathon's runners. — 00:00:58
  • ★★★ John says the explosion did not blow the flags over; some came down within seconds when onlookers, volunteers and first responders tore down barricades to reach the injured. — 00:00:58

  • ★★★ John cites Mr. Rogers on tragedies: look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping; and we do. — 00:00:58

    “Look for the helpers”

00:01:27 — Helpers after attacks in Iraq and the Iran-Pakistan earthquake; proud of a world where no flag flies above another; look in hope to the helpers; sign-off

  • ★★ John says coordinated attacks in Iraq the day before killed dozens of people, and there were helpers. — 00:01:27
  • ★★ John says a tremendous earthquake struck the Iran-Pakistan border that morning, and there are helpers. — 00:01:27
  • ★★★ John is fine with a world of flags, but most proud to live in a world that can hold events where no flag flies above any other. — 00:01:27
  • ★★★ John says some people do not want that world, but we will not give it up, and we can always look in hope to the helpers and try to be among them. — 00:01:27 · hope

Threads in this video

Mentioned

Central: Boston Marathon bombing · Fred Rogers · nationalism · othering

Also: 15 April 2013 Iraq attacks · 2013 Saravan earthquake · Boston Marathon · hope · Tumblr

Also centred on Fred Rogers: On Fame and Chappell Roan

Also centred on nationalism: The Amazon isn't "Burning" - It's Being Burned

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