One method to disconnect a society from its nation’s past is to redefine and replace its history and symbols.
The latest target by leftist iconoclasts is a Revolutionary War-era flag with a simple pine tree and the words “An Appeal to Heaven,” seen flying outside Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s New Jersey vacation home.
Predictably, these four words have sent left-wing media outlets, such as Slate, into a frenzy since any government official’s appeal to God triggers hysteria about the threat of “Christian nationalism.”
According to Slate writer Molly Olmstead, the Pine Tree Flag is no longer tied to its historical roots and now symbolizes “a spiritual fight to push Christianity deeper into society and especially into politics.”
Olmstead continues, “The idea that the symbol is drawn from U.S. history might give the flag a facade of democratic legitimacy, but it should not be confused as a contemporary democratic symbol. It’s a revived emblem with a uniquely theocratic twist.”
In truth, Democrats are using the religious associations of the “Appeal to Heaven” flag as a weak excuse to erode American history further and silence conservative dissent — with other Revolutionary flags now being viewed as “symbols of the far-right.”
Conveniently for Democrats, because historical flags like the Pine Tree Flag appeared at the Jan. 6 demonstrations, anyone honoring America’s historical legacy can now be labeled a potential “insurrectionist.”
Meanwhile, social justice symbols such as the “pride” and BLM flags, which inspire their religious devotion, see no such concern or opposition from the left-wing media. These symbols are elevated to prominence at the White House and receive special legal protections. For instance, people have been charged with felonies for doing burnouts on painted LGBT “pride” crosswalks.
Attacks on Symbols of American Heritage Are Not New
In 2019, Nike intended to release a sneaker featuring the Betsy Ross flag, an early American flag with 13 stars in a circle, for the Fourth of July. However, Colin Kaepernick, a former NFL quarterback and Nike spokesman, criticized the company for the flag’s symbolism, claiming it should not be celebrated as it represented slavery and had been co-opted by white nationalist groups.
Nike unfortunately gave in to Kaepernick’s demands and pulled the sneaker.
Not even the contemporary American flag is safe. Once respected and sworn allegiance to, Old Glory is now frequently deemed a “symbol of hatred” and increasingly viewed as an oppression banner by many young Americans.
Besides flag targeting, other instances of cultural replacements include the desecration and removal of historical statues, the attempt to reinterpret the nation’s birth from 1776 to 1619, transforming national holidays like Thanksgiving to “Indigenous Peoples Day,” or even a new federal law marking Juneteenth as a “Second Independence Day,” coinciding with the rising status of a separate “black national anthem.”
Claiming that America’s heritage is under attack would be a huge understatement.
Wokeness as Religion
Opposition to the “Appeal to Heaven” flag is not about pushing for a religiously neutral America. Instead, it aims to undermine any competing moral framework, especially Christianity, to reshape America according to their desired totalitarian ideology of identity politics and Cultural Marxism.
Much like the ideology behind communism, wokeness opposes religion (primarily Christianity) while acting as a religion itself. Unfortunately, while the United States managed to defeat the ideological Iron Curtain abroad, it now faces a rainbow shroud at home.
Let’s not forget, just months ago, Transgender Day of Visibility and Easter Sunday occurred on the same day. And while leftists claim their sacred day of trans-visibility coincidentally fell on Christianity’s most holy day, official State Department proclamations and rainbow-lit government landmarks across the country beginning in June will show just how far the nation — and yes, those in government power — have shifted away from publicly worshiping God in favor of their own religion.
The debate over historical symbols like the “Appeal to Heaven” flag reveals a deeper struggle over the nation’s soul, pitting a leftist vision rewriting American history against a conservative effort to preserve and celebrate America’s heritage. As America’s past remains politically disputed, the battle over its symbols will significantly shape its future. This is not just a cultural confrontation but a war that must be won.
