The New York Times politicized the American flag over Twitter on the eve of Independence Day by saying the “flying the American flag” shows a “person’s political affiliation” nowadays.
The Times, which has had no problem politicizing religion in the past, now tweeted that “flying the American flag from the back of a pickup truck or over a lawn,” which Americans have graciously done with Old Glory on holidays — such as Independence Day to show their support for America — is now “increasingly seen as a clue” to which they call an “imperfect one” to “person’s political affiliation.”
The article they were tweeting about is titled, A Fourth of July Symbol of Unity That May No Longer Unite, which is about a Long Island town where “neighbors now make assumptions… about people who conspicuously display American flags.” Also included is a local Democrat-leaning man having trouble selling his farm’s produce because no one wants to buy from a Republican.
The Times also states how members from both parties have “long sought to wrap themselves in the flag,” but now claim the county is changing because of politicization of the flag. The Times belief is that “flying the flag” is a “clue” you could likely be part of the Republican party.
The article claimed the negativity towards the American flag could be because people around the country have supported former President Donald Trump when he takes the stage at his rallies and even across media platforms. Unfortunately, the Times also made the claim that supporters “embraced the flag so fervently,” which in turn is a symbol of the January 6 protests and riots at the U.S. Capitol. Some leftists, according to the Times, “worry that the left has all but ceded the national emblem to the right.”
The article continued:
What was once a unifying symbol — there is a star on it for each state, after all — is now alienating to some, its stripes now fault lines between people who kneel while “The Star-Spangled Banner” plays and those for whom not pledging allegiance is an affront.
And it has made the celebration of the Fourth of July, of patriotic bunting and cakes with blueberries and strawberries arranged into Old Glory, into another cleft in a country that seems no longer quite so indivisible, under a flag threatening to fray.
In response to the Times, a Senior Editor at Human Events tweeted, “Prayers up for all the NY Times reporters who have to endure this weekend full of American flags”:
Additionally, the Special Advisor for Communications for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) responded to the Times also tweeted a gif on the American flag adding “CC: New York Times”: