fandumb

[frandroid]

Someone in the Straight Black Sails group just posted a picture of their pirate flag hoisted along with the American flag. Truly the dumbest group.

Comments

[ioplokon]

I suppose there is something interesting to say about nationalism and imperialism here? Like, historically, if you want to break up with an empire, you usually end up relying on some kind of nationalist movement (and the question of whether you could take another path out seems to be at the heart of what Black Sails is working through). But then nationalism is, itself, what provides the ideological fodder (and financial incentive) for empire. So you get this situation where Americans feel like stories of resistance to colonial oppression resonate with our founding national myths - despite our country's own imperialistic actions.

[frandroid]

I can see that, but how could I skip the opportunity to mock dumb fans of the show? :P

I also added a couple links to the two Barbary Wars that the US has fought against pirates, but since that's not part of the Black Sails canon that's just been ignored so far. X) I guess I should take comfort that it wasn't a Confederate flag...

[ioplokon]

Oh yeah, it's totally stupid but like, stupid for interesting reasons.

And oof, yeah. That's a whole mess irt nationalism+racism masquerading as "liberation" that we have to deal with both in the US and Canada.