Those of you who've read my other column for the day might be wondering what's up with me and the flag. I might seem critical of people unfurling or displaying Old Glory under the current circumstances.

Of course, I'm not: in fact I'm always glad to see our flag flying proudly. It reminds me of what our country stands for, and serves as a reminder that I should be thankful to be a citizen of what is - warts and all - the best country on Earth. I've always felt that way about our nation's flag.

But there comes a certain line where good-hearted patriotism goes sour. It crosses over from pride and joy into a frightening sort of ego-masturbation - the sort of loud, phony patriotism that comes from following a mob rather than your own heart. (Sometimes it's used as an excuse for hateful, spiteful bigotry and fear, too, but that's a whole other column)

In my travels back in the United States, some months after 9/11, I'm sorry to say that looks as though a good number of people, knowing that the mob could be easily tempted into parting with its money, decided to try and cash in on the post-9/11 sentiment while they could. Flags here, eagles there - an endless array of slogans and feel-good boosterism that probably made a lot of people a lot of money.

But now that the fever's died down a bit, there's all these leftovers from the patriotism craze. And they're just sitting there, waiting to be sold. Like the hot toy from last Christmas, they're now marked down to a quarter of their value and still impossible to sell.

And Old Glory's on all of them, daring you to buy and be a good citizen... do you have enough flags in your life? What will the neighbors think?!?!? Come and get your national pride, right here, right now. Patriotism for sale - cheap.

I don't have a high opinion of ostentatious, easy patriotism. It annoys me to see glitzy displays of patriotic pride that seem about as heartfelt as a rendezvous with a two-dollar hooker. It's a great thing to let it all hang out around the 4th of July and when election season comes around, but the rest of the year I have to wonder what some folks are trying to prove by draping themselves in Old Glory and heading off for the store. What are you really trying to say? What are you really trying to prove?

Patriotism's not something you can just turn on and off like a light, and love of one's country - true love - cannot be bought or sold. Either you've got it or you don't, and this is one case where deeds and feelings mean a hell of a lot more than slogans and words. Anyone can buy a flag, wave it and sing God Bless America, but what does your country's flag mean to you if it took over 3000 people dead in New York to get you to buy one in the first place?

On the way from one place to another, I went into a rest stop and saw that someone had put up a patriotic display in one of the cases. There, I saw that the woman who'd stitched together our country's first flag'd had her name mangled: she was now "Besty Ross." If I'd seen that overseas, where English spelling mistakes are pretty common, that would be something to chuckle over. But here, at home, it just makes me shake my head and wonder what some people are thinking - or if they are at all.

So this 4th of July, take a good, long look at those flags you're unfurling, and ask yourself - what does it all really mean? Is it just about fireworks and a barbecue, or are you really grateful and proud to be where you are? Do you really know what makes us so different from other countries? Do you know what the Constitution grants you? And do you take the time to make sure the system stays afloat by being an active and informed citizen the whole year around - not just today?

Put it another way: anyone can march in a 4th of July parade, or cheer one on. But I think that it's the people who take time off of their holiday to come out and clean up after everyone, afterwards, who really deserve the ice-cold beer.

Think about it.

"Necrotizing Fasciitis chic - is it unamerican?" - from Transmetropolitan #56 - Warren Ellis