So, after 18 years, I decided to watch an Indy 500 live on TV again. I like auto racing.

Jingoism everywhere. Camo-uniformad soldiers. Bleh.

Things were NOT that bad in 1993. Or does my memory deceive me?

Tacky, tacky, tacky. Can't wait for the bullshit to stop and the race to start.

"Taps" always makes me teary-eyed


And who would miss Jim Nabors singing "Indiana Home" as 130 gazillion balloons fly up into the sky?

:)

Of course I was usually drunk by then so that may have had something to do with all the emotion?

We used to leave with about 10 laps to go and be back home sitting next to the pool by the time the race was over listening to it on the radio. Took us about 2 minutes to get out of the track. If we waited until the race was over it was several hours to get out.

Don

There is a lot that has changed over the years, but the "jingoism" has been there, in one form or another, for ever.

It is, if nothing else, completely unique.

I love it.

And here we go! Clean start.

.... but the camo/flyovers (the Stealth was circling my neighborhood prior to the festivities)/ all the military stuff is part of the Indiana chest-thumper mindset. Sigh. :(

Ouch.

and never understood the appeal. We had a member of the family who raced in this race and Daytona etc. and I guess that is why my family was into it.

It makes sense I suppose that it has come to this, maybe it always was. I never paid attention enough to know.

1) Every major public event has become "tacky, tacky, tacky" after 9/11. It's not going to go away anytime soon. I sensed no more or no less ostentatious patriotism at the start of this year's 500 than I have at any other previous race. There has always been a military tie-in simply because of when the race is held.

2) As for the jingoism and Indiana's supposed fixation on militarism -- this state is very proud of the military, witnessed by the fact that Indianapolis is second only to Washington, D.C., for war memorials. I have visited some here and they are very humbling and powerful displays of what we are supposedly commemorating this weekend.

And I thought Seal's/Kelly Clarkson's/David Foster's rendition of the National Anthem was just beautiful. YMMV.

"Look, they are turning! Look, they are turning again!"
Easy to follow, even when drunk.








Personally, I have never been into it, but I have known people that were (and no, they weren't all heavy drinkers :P )

I never understood the appeal. Apparently an increasing number of people are with me.