IF YOU watched Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show, you know what Janet Jackson's right breast looks like. That's because Justin Timberlake tore off the top of her gladiator costume at the conclusion of their duet, exposing her to a television audience of 130 million. And if you happened to tune in before that bit of striptease, you know what the shameless desecration of an American flag looks like. That's because Kid Rock ripped a hole in one and wore it as a poncho during his part of the halftime performance.
The contrast between these two incidents and the popular response they provoked speaks volumes about the nature of American patriotism.
Within seconds of Jackson's exposure, CBS cut to commercial, returning only as the halftime performers filed off the field. And after the network received phone calls from offended viewers, CBS made a public apology for the incident, saying that the breast- baring "did not conform to CBS' broadcast standards." The NFL issued a similar statement and suggested that MTV, which produced the offending halftime show, would not be involved with future Super Bowl productions. Meanwhile, Kid Rock's mistreatment of the flag was broadcast in full, backed up by fireworks and drawing no attention but raucous applause.
Kid Rock's performance was, by far, the more offensive of the two, but its failure to draw any public protest is, perhaps, not surprising. Rather, the popular acceptance of his flag-ripping, feet-stomping show is part of a new trend in American culture that sees the patriotism of intellect replaced by the patriotism of spectacle.
Americans have always enjoyed the sight of their flag flying in difficult circumstances -- The indelible images of American marines raising the flag over Iwo Jima and New York City firefighters raising it over the ruins of the World Trade Center represent but two moments in which the flag has stood as a symbol of unity in troubled times. Such displays suggest not only the strength of American arms, but also the strength of America's founding ideals and their enduring value despite attacks by ideologically hostile powers.
Kid Rock's performance, meanwhile, was nothing but a cynical bid for popularity. By draping himself (quite literally) in the American flag, Kid Rock no doubt planned to present himself as a personality no less powerful or universal than the principles the flag represents. It was an act of egotism worlds apart from the thoughtful regard to which the flag is entitled. Yet, by all indications, Kid Rock's performance was a crowd pleaser.
How did Super Bowl viewers mistake egotism for patriotism, even as they recognized Jackson's performance for the R-rated publicity stunt that it was? The answer, perhaps, is that modern Americans regard the flag less as a symbol of their guiding principles than as an object of visual and emotional stimulation, a producer of cheap thrills in a nation where politics and theatrics mix.
In the wake of Sept. 11, the flag has spread beyond poles and porches to appear on such unlikely media as cars, lapels and Super Bowl performers. And while these displays may be a source of comfort in a dangerous world, they are also a way for their makers to identify themselves with the rough and tumble of America's foreign adventures while tapping into the popular fear and outrage that terrorism produces.
The flag's presence on President Bush's coat during his every grave warning and cowboy threat is one prominent expression of this new patriotism, which regards the flag less as an object of contemplation than a dumb symbol of the upheaval that America has endured and inflicted during the war on terrorism. And let's not forget Beyonce's performance of the national anthem, complete with Blackhawk fly-by -- a show of celebrity and overt militarism that blurred our patriotism just a little bit further.
When the flag is used as often to appeal to our GI Joe instincts as our higher motives, it's no wonder we tolerate its mistreatment by Kid Rock. Amid the noise and flash of the Super Bowl, the flag seems a natural centerpiece, even dangling from some performer's neck as he bangs his head to strains of some song that used to be popular five years ago.
But whatever the appeal of such exhibitions, the patriotism of spectacle should never replace a thoughtful regard for America's founding principles. And if television producers are looking for something to censor, they should leave us celebrity skin and spare us the shameless butchery of the American flag.
(Alec Solotorovsky's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at asolotorovsky@cavalierdaiy.com.)
Read More
PARTING SHOT: When it comes to art, it pays to pay attention
By Delaney Hammond | 5 hours agoEven among people who value the arts, carving out space for critical engagement with — rather than just passive consumption of — art has been an endeavor I have treasured.
PARTING SHOT: You only get what you give
By Delores Cyrus | YesterdayThe people at this place have taught me that letting others in, while not always easy, is always worth it.
PARTING SHOT: Life lessons
By Miriella Jiffar | YesterdayThroughout my time on the Life Desk, I’ve wondered what breathes life into this University.
