Controversy at the United States Supreme Court usually takes the form of high-profile cases that could reshape federal law. These days, however, a SCOTUS kerfuffle threatens Maine’s proposed return to the 1901 state flag.
The latest bout of controversy involves a Revolutionary War era flag flown outside of Justice Samuel Alito’s house. As the Supreme Court is set to hear cases related to the January 6, 2021 riot, the New York Times suddenly decided to publish years-old photos of the “Appeal to Heaven” flag flying outside Alito’s vacation home last year. Media pundits have pointed to photos of the same flag being carried by January 6 rioters as a way to question Justice Alito’s ability to judge cases related to the riot and President Trump. The flag was never a symbol of so-called “Christian Nationalism” until the liberal media decided it could be weaponized against the conservative Justice. But after the NYT hit piece, leftist activists edited the Wikipedia page for the flag and transformed it into a MAGA Battle Flag.
That flag looks an awful lot like Maine’s original 1901 pine tree flag that was flown for eight years in the early twentieth century. The flag consists of a pine tree – a crucial resource for Maine’s early economy due to its use in the shipbuilding industry – and the North Star on a light tan background. While not exactly the same as the Pine Tree Flag, with the phrase “An Appeal to Heaven” displayed on a white background above a pine tree, local Maine media have pointed to the flag being confused with the flag flown over Justice Alito’s residence. Coincidentally, both flags happen to have pine trees on them, but only one is set to be put to a vote this fall.
In a November referendum, Mainers will decide whether the classic pine tree flag created by Adjutant General John Richards will replace the current Maine flag that features the state’s coat of arms on a blue background. The Pine Tree Flag adopted by the Massachusetts navy in 1776 being flown by conservatives — and the ensuing media controversy about what certain Americana means to certain political groups — showcases why many Americans no longer have any trust in the media.
Treating a historical flag as a cultural taboo because the media doesn’t like the politicians who fly it is asinine. It can only exacerbate polarization across the country.
Ironically, the media also cedes ground to the very fringe groups that it attacks, letting the leaders of these movements embrace and redefine what these historical American symbols mean. Framing the Pine Tree flag as having a “controversial” history ignores the centuries old meaning of a flag that showcased the American colonist’s belief in individual rights from philosopher John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government. Throwing out this historical context in an attempt to tie Justice Samuel Alito to January 6 rioters runs up against the fact that the flag has been everywhere from a 1968 postage stamp to flying atop San Francisco’s City Hall in until this recent controversy. Now, Mainer’s “lone pine tree” flag is being unnecessarily labeled as extremist due to partisan know-nothing media outlets playing political games.
It’s no wonder that trust in the media has fallen so low across the political spectrum in America. Now, more than half of Americans believe the news media deliberately misleads them or persuades the public to adopt a particular point of view. With the complete redefining of the Pine Tree Flag seemingly overnight, who can blame them for believing that? There are countless examples of media outlets labeling everyday symbols, actions, or objects as now being used by hate groups.
When Americans read in NPR that the “Ok” hand gesture is now a symbol of white supremacy and see West Point cadets being investigated because they flashed the gesture at a football game, that makes the media look fundamentally unserious. It also legitimizes the symbol and directs even more attention to the groups that the media is trying to denounce. MSNBC’s attempt to link physical fitness and combat sports like boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) as being “central to the far right” is another hopelessly partisan attempt to tie everyday activities enjoyed by millions of Americans to fringe movements.
Maine’s lone pine tree flag is hardly a fringe symbol to Mainers. The pine tree has symbolized the strength and resilience of New Englander’s defying the tyranny of King George III. For anyone that has been through a Maine winter like me, that same strength and resiliency is still very much alive.
Attempts by partisan media outlets to tar pieces of American history with the “extremist” label shows just how partisan and agenda-driven the news media has become. Maine would honor its proud state history by making the 1901 pine tree flag its official state flag. Maine may also offer the rest of the country an example of how best to approach political controversies — by tuning out the media and focusing on the history of their flag rather than the noise produced by newsroom partisans.
