Zellers – Project 1: Part 1 Writing

My original object is a statue of a gold bald eagle. It is used in many ways to represent people’s freedom, love for the nation, and those who have served in the military, or a combination of these. When the eagle is displayed, especially in a personal setting in today’s political climate, it has a right leaning connotation. When I see the display of patriotism, I feel the right-wing nationalism. To me it is a blinded idolization of our nation, not able to hear the faults and changes that could be made to be better. To me, as a Navy girlfriend I have a love and empathy for those who serve and have served the country in that I have a glimpse into the understanding of the sacrifices they go through. I think that the government is flawed, has a terrible past of colonization and has a continued oppression of many peoples through policy, systems, individual actions, and environmental work. In my project I would like to use the multiple to show the views of what the eagle represents – to me it is the love for those who serve as well as the disdain and fear of right-wing nationalism.