🏳️🌈🇺🇸🧐 “Rainbow Ruckus or Fact-Checked Fail? The White House Pride Flag Controversy Unfurled”
TL:DR;
Some Congress members are all bent out of shape over the White House’s Pride Month flag display, claiming a violation of flag code. But guess what? The proof is in the (patriotic) pudding – no codes were broken here, folks! 🌈🎉
When President Joe Biden decided to sprinkle some rainbow magic over the White House for Pride Month, 🏳️🌈 he likely didn’t anticipate it causing a kerfuffle in the halls of Congress. Two members – Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA) – raised their eyebrows so high they could’ve flagged down a plane. Their beef? The placement of a Progress Pride flag smack dab in between two Stars and Stripes. A violation of flag code, they huffed. A disgrace! An attack on patriotism!
Does that sound a bit too dramatic for a flag display? 🚩 Well, the drama is not yet over.
Both reps are hanging their hats on a section of the flag code that states, “The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags…are grouped and displayed…” Fair enough, right? 🇺🇸 But hold onto your stars and stripes, folks – we’re diving deeper.
Turns out, Rep Johnson might have been a little scissor-happy when quoting the flag code. Because he left out some crucial context. The full text reads, “The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs,” 📜
Photographs from the event paint a clearer picture. An American flag on a staff was indeed flying high above all the other flags. In fact, even the POW/MIA flag was respectfully placed beneath it. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, who probably know a thing or two about flag etiquette, say the POW/MIA flag should indeed fly directly below the American flag.
But what about the Progress Pride flag nestled cosily between two American flags? Flag code, it turns out, doesn’t stipulate anything about the placement of the American flag with respect to other flags if they aren’t on a staff. So, no fouls on the field there either! 🚩
The pride event didn’t just follow the letter of the flag law; it also nailed the spirit of it. The American flags were displayed correctly with the blue field on the observer’s left when the flag was hung vertically. And guess what? No regulations say where the American flag should be placed in relation to other flags when displayed like this.
The Veterans Affairs guidelines on flag displays further affirm the legitimacy of the White House’s actions, specifying that “When the U.S. flag is displayed other than from a staff, it should be displayed flat, or suspended so that its folds fall free.” 🇺🇸
So, what do we have here, really? Is it a case of overzealous flag policing, or perhaps some folks need a refresher on the flag code they’re so keen to uphold? 🧐 Either way, this Pride Month celebration isn’t going down in the annals of history as a “disgrace”, but rather as a colorful and controversial celebration of love and freedom.
And here’s a question for you, dear readers – if the flag code
