“Flag” is an symbolic  conversation with my father who is represented by his photograph as a little boy dressed up as a Rough Rider. I have used this national icon as a visual jumping off point to think about the current meaning of being an American. Dominating the composition is the term xenophobia and the antithesis of xenophobia; compassion, acceptance, and tolerance. The text includes a dictionary definition,  a portion of the sonnet “The New Colossus”  which is featured on plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty, and a quote  from Karl Marx about history.