Gov. Brewer Signs Law Giving Tea Party Flag Same Status As American Flag

[demmiblue]

Source: Think Progress


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 Party-associated Gadsen Flag the same protection as the American flag when it comes to home owners associations (HOA), the Arizona Daily Star reports:

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.


http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/19/jan-brewer-tea-party-flag/

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Seems to me "Don't Tread On Me" is equivalent to flying the Confederate Flag

and to the best of my knowledge, the latter doesn't enjoy political protection.

[fasttense]

2. I think it is time to burn a flag.

The Gadsden flag, that yellow flag with the drawing of a coiled rattlesnake and the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me.”

I think it needs to be burned in public.

[LiberalLoner]

3. I fully agree. +100 K&R n/t

[zbdent]

5. and point out, when accused of "trying to incite a riot",

that you always heard, from TEA baggers that they are not violent, and that they wouldn't be likely to riot ...

[KittyWampus]

9. Why? How about just reclaiming it for ourselves? Stop being so reactionary >

or at least stop ceding territory to the crazies.

[blm]

16. Bingo!

.

[msanthrope]

11. On the statehouse steps. n/t

[blm]

14. Gadsden flag when interpreted ACCURATELY is a PROGRESSIVE FLAG. Many hoisted it to protest Bush

because of its meaning - That ours would never be an imperialist nation. That we would NEVER be a nation that strikes first at another country, but, we would strike BACK, swiftly and precisely.

Just because corpmedia is encouraging the inaccurate interpretation of the teabaggers to foster division of the working class against each other, doesn't mean those of us NOT dumbed down should react as badly.

[LiberalLoner]

4. Quick question - would that flag fly below the US flag then or on the same level (or

even above the US flag as in, seccession type talk?)

Just wondering if anyone knows if this bill would allow that?

[SoCalDem]

6. Good to know that AZ gov has her priorities in order

:eyes:

So far every bit of legislation stuff I hear about in AZ seems to be waaaay right wing nonsense.. not much about jobs or wide-ranging stuff..

[Bok_Tukalo]

7. The Gadsden Flag does not belong to the so-called Tea Party

It is a signigicant symbol in America's history. They may use it (as some opposed to the former president also did during the Aughts) but that wing of the Republican Party does not own it.

[Dappleganger]

8. THANK you!!!

And it is nowhere near the equivalent of the confederate flag.

[KittyWampus]

10. All Arizona liberals need to buy a Gadsen flag and start displaying it on their cars, homes

etc.

[blm]

15. EXACTLY!!! Fly it for its true symbolism and progressive, ANTI-IMPERIALISM message.

.

[SpiralHawk]

12. Why do the Baggers (R), pretending to be 'christian,' worship Satan on their flag?

I mean, if they are going to pretend to be 'christians' why the heLL do they worSHIp a picture of the eViLLL representation of the sErpEnT on theIr fLaG ???

I sure hope some eVanGeLLical MiNustER will strayTEN them out. beFORE it tOO late.

[blm]

13. If TeaPartiers really understood the Gadsden flag they'd have hoisted it to protest King George Bush

And the media is so dumb they are following the lead of the stupid.

The Gadsden Flag should be the flag of the United States, but, for its real meaning of ANTI-IMPERIALISM.... that we would be a nation that never strikes first, but would strike BACK swiftly and precisely.

The Bushes and their privileged cronies deliberately set up the financial collapse of this nation in a way that would enrich the elite even further at the expense of the middle and working class. The teabaggers are so dumbed down the corporate media has them believing teachers and firemen and the sick and poor are to blame for the machinations of those who engineered the economic chain of events of the last 40 years. Why blame the Wall Street gamblers who stole your pension and sent your job to India when you can blame the teacher down the street?