Charlie Martin, from Boulder, CO, chose:
Weird & indifferent (meh... ) — If I didn’t know already, I’d never for a second think of it as anything but a generic flag. (02/09/2008)

Pete in the Midway, from St. Paul, MN, chose:
Weird & indifferent (meh... ) — Looks more like a velvet painting than a flag. (02/10/2008)

Brian Werner, from Texas, chose:
None of the above — Just funny to look at to me! (02/12/2008)

Jes, from Goshen, IN, chose:
Disturbing & offensive (ugh!) — I was waffling between weird and disturbing. Weird because the images of a galaxy and a tiger skin are filed in very different parts of my brain. Disturbing beacuse the thought that anyone would make a flag from a tigers’ skin is just wrong. Hate it. (02/21/2008)

LWIP, from Natural History Magazine, replies:
Sorry, Jes, it wasn’t meant to be a dead tiger’s skin, but a salute to a live tiger. I see the problem, though. (02/21/2008)

c, from SD, chose:
Thrilling & beautiful (ah!) — well, i found it thrilling and beautiful perhaps because i first read the text (with the Blake excerpt) and so of course my reference point was instantly to live tigers; and the galaxy reinforces the universal context. (02/24/2008)

LWIP, from Natural History Magazine, replies:
Whew, thanks—I was beginning to worry I was crazy! (02/24/2008)

Ray Minnich, from Grandview, WA 98930-1315, chose:
Weird & indifferent (meh... ) — I liked it. (03/04/2008)

Linda, from Saratoga, California, chose:
Thrilling & beautiful (ah!) — I think it's beautiful... and awe-inspiring. It spans both the galaxy and then the fur of a single animal, and I dont think it's unpatriotic at all.... (03/08/2008)

John, from Boston, chose:
Weird & indifferent (meh... ) — Too abstract. (03/18/2008)

Chuck, from Towson University, chose:
Disturbing & offensive (ugh!) — Mankind will NEVER be satisfied until he/she has destroyed all laws, all codes of decency, all that is considered beautiful and for all to admire, nope, we must go the limit to see how low we can get. Almost there, just think of all the boys that died in Iraq — for what cause? (03/21/2008)

“doc, ”from Myrtle Beach, writes:
ALL TIGERS can serve a propose. A stunningly beautiful animal like a tiger captures people’s attention so they become more willing to learn about critical conservation issues. Tigers are the calling card that can spark interest in the natural world. Tigers are an important living example of the environmental problems facing the world, which makes them the perfect wildlife ambassadors. John Q public loves novelty more than normalcy and always will. Therefore unique colors of certain tigers attract an even greater amount of public attention. Royal white and golden tabby tigers, Ligers, Snow tigers and anything else that can ignite a spark of interest assume a more important role as ambassadors for conservation issues. We have found that after an experience with these rare color variations of tigers, people are often more willing to learn about the increasing global issues and possible solutions to save our planet's bio diversity. We are not really trying to save the tiger, in all likelihood it is beyond hope. The tiger stands as a symbol a sentinel of the last stand, with this symbol we are trying to save the world’s last wild places the health of the seas and the last clear sky’s.  (03/23/2008)