Flag-Waving
Flag-Waving: wrapping a position in patriotism.
How to spot it
Strong national feeling offered as the reason for a position or an action, so that disagreeing feels like letting the country down: "any real patriot will vote yes", "this is what America stands for". Love of country is real. The move is to spend it on one side of a question that patriots answer in different ways.
A quick test: take out the patriotic words and see whether a reason is left. The same move works with another group in place of the nation: "as people of faith, we must", "no true conservative could", "real progressives know".
What doesn't count
Patriotism on its own isn't the technique. A Fourth of July message or a memorial for the war dead can talk about the country as much as it likes, because the country is the subject. Neither is an argument about the national interest that gives its reasons.
Setting "real Americans" against a group of people is Appeal to Prejudice, and borrowing a symbol's feeling for an unrelated claim is Transfer. Flag-Waving is national feeling, or loyalty to a group, offered as the reason for one position.
Real examples
Each was flagged by Semblen's model, then chosen to stay on this page, so the examples don't change from day to day. A quote in a news article may be the outlet reporting what someone else said, and an ad may be quoting its opponent. Follow each link to check it in context.
In 2026 campaign ads
“I voted yes, because Michigan comes first”
“Vote for America, not the MAGA agenda”
“Texas is counting on you.”
In government statements
“Never believe the lie that Americans are not good enough to build a future for Americans.”
“America needs YOU”
Related techniques
Something wrong or unclear on this page?
Tell us. A person reads every note. Use Yes / No under any example if it isn't really flag-waving: two readers saying no takes it off the page.
Check something yourself
Paste an article, a speech or a video link into the analyzer and Semblen marks the words that use flag-waving or any other technique, and says why. It flags rhetorical techniques, not political tilt.