I can now see how if I was born in a "RED" region that owned and used flags regularly, that I wouldn't realize the negative response it might get to give them free to folks in parts of California.

Yeah, in LA the schools, post offices, city hall, DMV and libraries may display a flag and that's about the only place you will see it outside of a car dealership.

When Stein talks about looking down on people who display flags, its because he clearly has NEVER lived in such a region to understand the motivations or cultural backgrounds of the Americans who do display flags. He's culturally isolated himself and his prejudice is as obvious as any racist.

To be quite honest, moving out here where flags are more common - encourages the expression of such 'American pride'. Sure, you could do it in a rich beach town and it would be 'quaint' and 'decorative', but most did not put out flags, a handful would pop up on the 4th and the city would cough up some flags to mount to lamp poles and in the planter medians dividing Pacific Coast Highway. On flag day you'd usually find out who, if anyone, on your block and in your neighborhood actually owned a flag.

In upper middle class suburbia, starting in the mid-90s you would see these little decorator flags that said 'thanksgiving' or that simply had a floral motif. Like some Martha Stewart trendy thing to have next to your well trimmed hedge and brass lanterns. They probably were sold at certain Home Depots in regions that had the target economic demographic. At the same time quality US flags were sold to display as well. Patriotism was presented to the well off, with a cautious marketing approach.

Here the flag really isn't just a decoration - and that scares some folks.

The default "tribal us versus them" interpretation of Stein is natural if you've never felt a patriotic moment in your life and only seen flags displayed at government and public facilities most of your life, otherwise you'd realize that some people are actually proud to be Americans - and though it doesn't "define" them - it is a facet they are willing to display by mounting a flag pole bracket to their home and displaying the US flag.

Many of my neighbors here have 'year round' flags and they aren't knuckle dragging rednecks or fit the stereotype at all. Some are older folks who've lived long enough and traveled far and wide. The more you travel and get around - the more likely you are to return home with an appreciation for America. Displaying a flag seems like a very cheap and effortless way of giving back to the country that has given so much to you.

Yes giving flags away with advertising attached is commercial - but think about it - do you really think she was making a political statement? She had to be under the assumption that folks actually would like a free flag. Giving away something folks hated or you felt was controversial would NOT spur sales or drum up business. So she really believed the flag (timed well before the 4th of July) would be appreciated - and moreso than an advertising refrigerator magnet or a notepad. If she grew up in a region that did diplay flags regularly - no one would even think twice about it. Handling a flag out here isn't a "mystical" or "confounding" thing, it's simply a US flag and doesn't carry a political payload - merely a history and a constitution. It merely illustrates how many folks can live in a big city and still be provincial and inexperienced.

Stein's response was typical of the provincial liberal who is prejudiced. His disdain for communities that display flags is merely a form of class discrimination - and little different from the way a southern country club views folks with darker skin. The sense of superiority is the same - and as always its based on FEAR of the unknown.

Stein needs to live a bit, travel more and spend six months once living in a "red" zone to get rid of his prejudices and prevent making an ass of himself as he panders to others with similar prejudices and fears.