Six Flags Parks Remove Historic Flags over Political Concerns

Six Flags over Texas, an amusements park that made its icon the six national flags of countries that governed the now-State of Texas, took down its namesake flags and replaced them with only the U.S. 50-star flag. The six flags included a Confederate flag.

“At Six Flags Over Texas we strive every single day to make people happy and to create a fun, thrilling and safe family friendly experience for our guests,” spokeswoman Sharon Parker told WFAA ABC8. “We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us. As such, we have changed the flag displays in our park to feature American flags. ”

The park apparently drew criticism from Fox News, TMZ and others earlier in the week and succumbed to the pressure.

One Six Flags patron wants to change history and erase the state’s Confederate era. “I think they should change the name to five flags over Texas. I guess they’re just giving into peoples pressures,” Benjamin Bridgeford told the Dallas reporter.

Another customer, Mary Nansen said, “I don’t think it’s changing history, but I think it’s reflecting better on the United States.”

While WFAA reported on the Arlington, Texas, location, it appears all of the Texas locations have followed suit and are only flying “Old Glory.”

Before the controversy over the Confederacy erupted again last week, Six Flags proudly flew the flags of the six nations that have governed what is now the Lone Star State. Those nations were France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. Texas, of course, rejoined the Union at the conclusion of the Civil War.