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| Gov. Brewer Signs Law Giving Tea Party Flag Same Status As American Flag |
The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Positioned below the snake is the legend "DONT TREAD ON ME." The flag was designed by and is named after American general and statesman Christopher Gadsden. It was also used by the United States Marine Corps as an early motto flag. The Gadsden flag was considered one of the first flags of the United States, the flag was later replaced by the current Stars and Stripes (or Old Glory) flag. Since the Revolution, the flag has seen times of reintroduction as a symbol of American patriotism, a symbol of disagreement with government, or a symbol of support for civil liberties - Hence where the tea baggers come in.While Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) is rightly being praised for vetoing a so-called “birther bill” yesterday, she also quietly signed into law legislation that gives the Tea bag-associated Gadsen Flag the same protection as the American flag when it comes to home owners associations (HOA), the Arizona Daily Star reports:
Beginning in 2009, the Gadsden Flag has become an adopted symbol of the American Tea bag movement. Nationwide it serves as an alternative to the stars and stripe, for Tea bag protesters who feel patriotism for their country and are upset at the government. It was also seen being displayed by members of Congress at Tea bag rallies. Some lawmakers have dubbed it a political symbol due to the Tea bag connection, and the political nature of Tea bag supporters.
Brewer also signed separate legislation Monday to expand the list of flags that HOA residents could fly despite regulations to the contrary.
Current law overrides any rules when it comes to the U.S. flag, the flags of any branch of the military, the state flag, the POW-MIA flag and the flag of any Indian nation. The new law will add the Gadsden flag to that protected list, that yellow flag with the drawing of a coiled rattlesnake and the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me.”
While the yellow banner dates back to the American Revolution, the flag and its “don’t tread on me” slogan have been appropriated by the modern day tea party movement and are now closely associated with the right-wing activists (it’s even on the tea party race car). The legislation came into being in the wake of a national controversy last summer sparked by an Arizona man who refused to comply with his homeowners association’s request that he remove a Gadsen flag from his house.
We at NFTOS feel this a huge slap in the face into what the Gadsden flag is all about, but hey, it’s what tea baggers do best – which is annoy the hell out of everyone not republican.
NFTOS
