Posted on 04/08/2010 12:44:08 PM PDT by Man50D
Tea Party activists won't be permitted to fly the Gadsden Flag over the state Capitol after all.
State Capitol police today reversed an earlier decision to allow the bright yellow "Don't Tread On Me" banner to flutter from the highly visible flagpole after learning that activists had planned a political rally following the flag-raising ceremony.
But Tea Party activists said today they plan to go ahead with the flag-raising – they plan to bring their own flagpole.
"It went from being a flag-raising ceremony to a political event,'' Acting Capitol police Chief Walter Lee said. "They are using it as a launching pad for [candidates for] public office."
Tea Party activists view the flag as a historic symbol of American defiance, but critics say the familiar flag with the image of a coiled rattlesnake is now associated with the controversial political movement.
Tea Party groups have unfurled it at rallies across the nation, and some Republican members of Congress, who hung it from a balcony at the U.S. Capitol before a vote on the health care overhaul.
"Generally speaking, most people would agree the top of the Capitol is not the place for partisan political flags," said state Rep. Michael Lawlor, a Democrat from East Haven and co-chairman of the legislature's judiciary committee.
The Connecticut Tea Party Patriots, a loose-knit group of activists from across the state, had received permission from the state Capitol police to fly the flag from Friday through April 15.
The state's policy regarding flags specifies that only flags from the U.S., its states or territories, recognized Indian tribes, nations with which the U.S. has diplomatic relations and military organizations can fly at the highly visible spot over the state Capitol.
The Gadsden Flag dates to 1775 and is named for Christopher Gadsden, a delegate to the Continental Congress. It has long been associated with the U.S. Marine Corps, and that apparently was why it got the Capitol OK.
Lee said he initially granted permission because the flag is a symbol of the U.S. Marine Corps. The Tea Party group had wanted to fly it in connection with Patriots Day.
But permission was recinded when he learned that the Connecticut Tea Party Patriots was plannign to host a press conference with political candidates after the flag-raising.
Said Lawlor, "It doesn't sound like this is an event honoring the Marine Corps.''
Patriots coordinator Tanya Bachand rejects the notion that her group has a partisan agenda, even though it is supporting candidates in the November election. She says the group isn't allied with Republicans or Democrats, but rather is focused on promoting grass-roots activism.
"It's a nice encapsulation of the American spirit," Bachand said. "We are a strong-willed, independent people and given the chance, we can flourish."
The debate harkens back to another flag controversy that erupted at the Capitol in 1999.
Gay rights received permission to fly the rainbow flag, which drew criticism from socially conservative lawmakers and resulted in the policy limiting what flags can be hoisted at the highly visible spot. The Capitol flagpole "really should be limited to honoring countries and causes that are completely non-partisan and non controversial,'' Lawlor said.
Bachand said her group still hopes to work out a compromise. It has agreed to scrap the political rally and press conference if Capitol police permit the flag to hang. "They still said no,'' she said.
But even if the flag cannot be officially flown from a Capitol flagpole, the tea party group plans to have a flag-raising of its own. The group will bring another Gadsden Flag and a small flagpole to the Capitol tomorrow morning and hold the ceremony as planned.
"Since when did liberty become a controversial topic?'' Bachand asked. "The important thing is the flag-raising, not the press conference.''
And if you fly one on your house??
Now that is ironic.
Connecticut ping!
DHS will put you on a watch list.
Imagery is everything for socialist because they don’t think for themselves.
so will Juan Williams.
I figured everyone at FR was already on the watch list, so my Gadsden flag flies every day.
“It went from being a flag-raising ceremony to a political event”
So what if it did, is that illegal?
You just knew it was too good to be true... :(
“critics say the familiar flag with the image of a coiled rattlesnake is now associated with the controversial political movement.”
PINHEADS!!!
The coiled rattlesnake and “Don’t Tread on Me” cartoon and later, flag, was ALWAYS part of a political movement!!!
That political movement was, and still is, about LIBERTY!
It’s a sign of the times that people today consider that “controversial”.
Maybe they should have said OK, we will just use one of the anti-war morons flags instead. I bet they would allow that.
What did you expect the State that elected Chris Dodo to do?
Connecticut: As one of the original 13 colonies, it’s part of your history and heritage!
Everyone there needs to have one in their front yard the day of the Tea Party. The city will be covered in yellow flags. Almost as good as flying the Stars and Stripes except it will make a good statement.
But a Chinese or Mexican flag would be welcome.
Is not flying the American flag a political statement??????
Only in the hands of an illegal alien at a Give Me My Free Goodies Now march.
Since Jan. 2009 a guy down the road here has been flying a Soviet flag in front of his house. Not sure yet whether it is a protest or an endorsement.
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