--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a terrible omen when you see an…" description: "\"“It is a terrible omen when you see an American flag on somebody else’s car and realize that’s your enemy.”\" — James Baldwin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg" --- # It is a terrible omen when you see an American flag on… ![“It is a terrible omen when you see an American flag on somebody else’s car and realize that’s your enemy.” quote by James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg) > ““It is a terrible omen when you see an American flag on somebody else’s car and realize that’s your enemy.”” [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing the American flag on a rival’s car signals a deep societal division and betrayal. **In simple terms:** Flag on enemy’s car is a bad omen. Key Takeaway Recognize and address underlying conflicts. Themes politics identity division Mood thoughtful somber Type political inspirational When to use this quote - political rallies - community meetings - media analysis - personal conversations Key Concepts sociology history Questions to Reflect On - What does the flag represent for you? - How can shared symbols bridge divides? A Different Perspective Symbolic interpretations can be over‑simplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American flag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-flag/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ## Related quotes > [“The deeper I go into myself the more I realize that I am my own enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floriano-martins/the-deeper-i-go-into-myself-the-more-i-realize-that-i-am-my-own-enemy/) [Floriano Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floriano-martins/) > [You're dressed up like the flag, somebody get him a pole! Oh, no, no, no, I know how you can get one. Go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/you-re-dressed-up-like-the-flag-somebody-get-him-a-pole-oh-no-no-no-i/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [We must be certain that we all realize that our enemy is not an enemy that is located in one single place. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-blackburn/we-must-be-certain-that-we-all-realize-that-our-enemy-is-not-an-enemy/) [Marsha Blackburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-blackburn/) > [It's always a huge red flag for me when somebody's reticent or reluctant or a little slow in providing thoughtful references that are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivanka-trump/it-s-always-a-huge-red-flag-for-me-when-somebody-s-reticent-or/) [Ivanka Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivanka-trump/) > [“A big, sandy-haired man held his daughter on his shoulders, showing her the Statue of Liberty. I would never know what this statue meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/a-big-sandy-haired-man-held-his-daughter-on-his-shoulders-showing-her/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“The night of September the 14th, 1814, saw heavy bombardment of Baltimore by the British. 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To quote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/america-is-the-wealthiest-nation-on-earth-but-its-people-are-mainly/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Is burning an American flag a disgusting, reprehensible act? Yes, it absolutely is, and I would tell that to the face of absolutely anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/is-burning-an-american-flag-a-disgusting-reprehensible-act-yes-it/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [I wrote the script of Patton. 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Or for that matter...what kind of love affairs?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/what-kind-of-friendship-have-you-had-or-for-that-matter-what-kind-of/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“For these are all our children, we will all profit by or pay for what they become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/for-these-are-all-our-children-we-will-all-profit-by-or-pay-for-what/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“Every society is really governed by hidden laws, by unspoken but profound assumptions on the part of the people, and ours is no exception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/every-society-is-really-governed-by-hidden-laws-by-unspoken-but/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“In those days my mother was given to the exasperating and mysterious habit of having babies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-those-days-my-mother-was-given-to-the-exasperating-and-mysterious/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“He was suggesting that all Negroes were held in a state of supreme tension between the difficult, dangerous relationship in which they stood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/he-was-suggesting-that-all-negroes-were-held-in-a-state-of-supreme/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“In the beginning—and neither can this be overstated—a Negro just cannot believe that white people are treating him as they do; he does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-the-beginning-and-neither-can-this-be-overstated-a-negro-just/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“If the world wasn't so full of dead folks maybe those of us that's trying to live wouldn't have to suffer so bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/if-the-world-wasn-t-so-full-of-dead-folks-maybe-those-of-us-that-s/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“I am very much concerned that American Negroes achieve their freedom here in the United States. But I am also concerned for their dignity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/i-am-very-much-concerned-that-american-negroes-achieve-their-freedom/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“The paradox—and a fearful paradox it is—is that the American Negro can have no future anywhere, on any continent, as long as he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/the-paradox-and-a-fearful-paradox-it-is-is-that-the-american-negro/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) [Explore all 312 James Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) ## More American flag quotes > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I wrote the script of Patton. I had this very bizarre opening where he stands up in front of an American flag and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-wrote-the-script-of-patton-i-had-this-very-bizarre-opening-where-he/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [Is burning an American flag a disgusting, reprehensible act? Yes, it absolutely is, and I would tell that to the face of absolutely anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/is-burning-an-american-flag-a-disgusting-reprehensible-act-yes-it/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/america-is-the-wealthiest-nation-on-earth-but-its-people-are-mainly/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Colin Kaepernick is the latest professional athlete to spark a national debate about the meaning behind the American flag and the national anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abdul-rauf/colin-kaepernick-is-the-latest-professional-athlete-to-spark-a/) Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf > [God bless America, land that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-berlin/god-bless-america-land-that-i-love/) [Irving Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-berlin/) > [“The British government in 1807 had issued the “Orders in Council,” which enforced a naval blockade against France, and with a shortage of seamen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-british-government-in-1807-had-issued-the-orders-in-council-which/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [Instead of candidates hiring people, like yours truly, to create campaign media that works on both conscious and subconscious levels to sway the voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/instead-of-candidates-hiring-people-like-yours-truly-to-create/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [The American flag is an enduring symbol of liberty, democracy, and justice. It is fitting that the House act to protect it as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-american-flag-is-an-enduring-symbol-of-liberty-democracy-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The night of September the 14th, 1814, saw heavy bombardment of Baltimore by the British. Despite this, the next morning, the large American flag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/the-night-of-september-the-14th-1814-saw-heavy-bombardment-of/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [“Superman – Moses in a costume, with his underpants on the outside. Captain America – the poster boy of the mad American patriot. Wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sinclair/superman-moses-in-a-costume-with-his-underpants-on-the-outside/) [David Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sinclair/) > [“The bold colors of the American flag stood out over her husband’s coffin. Colors of honor. Colors of freedom. Colors of sacrifice. She’d never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-cross/the-bold-colors-of-the-american-flag-stood-out-over-her-husband-s/) [Lindsay Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-cross/) > [“The 101st was trucked to Utah Beach on July 10, seeing from the land what they had seen from the air the night of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-alexander/the-101st-was-trucked-to-utah-beach-on-july-10-seeing-from-the-land/) Larry Alexander > [I love taking photos of the American flag fluttering in the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-love-taking-photos-of-the-american-flag-fluttering-in-the-wind/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [“People reacted with hate and fear and then community by wearing American flag shirts, bandannas, crying, huddling, lost, and senseless. They packed the gymnasium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-huang/people-reacted-with-hate-and-fear-and-then-community-by-wearing/) [Eddie Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-huang/) [Browse all 158 American flag quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-flag/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is a terrible omen when you see an American flag on somebody else’s car and realize that’s your enemy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Baldwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-american-flag-on-somebody-else/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American flag" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-american-flag-on-somebody-else/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/james-baldwin-995_american-flag_it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-am_646638.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a terrible omen when you see an American flag on somebody else’s car and realize that’s your enemy.” — James Baldwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Baldwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is a terrible omen when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-american-flag-on-somebody-else/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/it-is-a-terrible-omen-when-you-see-an-american-flag-on-somebody-else/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```