Tour de France and Patriotism

My latest sports addiction, which usually manifests itself into my Tivo-hogging attempts to catch every possible moment of the Olympics, is the Tour de France. And why not? Everyone loves Lance Armstrong (unless your jersey reads "T-Mobile" or "CSC") and he's putting the record for most Tour wins so far out of reach of the rest of the world that NO ONE may ever catch him. Plus, he's an American, winning in a French athletic event, and of course the French suck (please, read this with an entire salt lick).

But just as much as the fascinating nature of the Tour, and pro cycling in general, with its strategy, psychology, and sheer power and endurance; I love the pageantry of the Tour. International sports have a spirit and flair that domestic sports just can't beat, in my opinion. To me, being able to fly your national flag as a moment of pure patriotism in a sporting event is tops.

And to watch such a thing in a European event is even more interesting to me, as you see not only national flags, but also the regional flags of such "nationalities" as Brittany, the Basques, Flanders, etc. The fact that those people hold on to their regional identities is fascinating to me.

I think that has something to do with the "melting pot" attitude of Americans - "you may have been something else before, but you're an American now." I generally disagree with that attitude, I've discovered; I say hold on to where you came from and celebrate it. Don't deny your citizenship as based on modern boundaries, but don't forget your heritage either.

I think that's part of the reason I've adopted the kilt as normal wear - I love to recall my ancestry in the Scottish/Irish arena by wearing a garment that harkens back to my forefathers of the Celtic persuasion. I certainly identify with them more than some of my other heritage.

So as I watch the Tour, I've been picking out flags I don't identify (and thanks to my love of flags, that's not many) and looking them up online. I have found most of them - I'll keep looking and see exactly where these folks are from, and what land it is that they truly love.