cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/4249593
Democratic Gov. Jared Polis called the Gadsden flag ‘a proud symbol of the American revolution’ after a a Colorado student was told to remove a patch of the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag from his backpack.
Wasnt it a regimental flag from more than 200 years ago?
Anyone who had any real connection to the meaning of that flag has been dead for more than a century.
Anyone waving that thing around now is either a reenactor, or a poser cosplaying as a tough guy. At this point, much like the Confederate Navy Jack, it has been co-opted to stand for racism and hatred. Either that or J6 was a big Civil war reenactment with terrible planning. “Guys, guys!!! We’re supposed to be in MANASSAS! No! Stop seiging the Capitol!”
The Gadsden flag is primarily used as a symbol of Libertarianism – it encompasses ideas of personal liberty, and individualism. But you are right – the Gadsden flag made its first appearance in the American Revolutionary War.
A “reenactor”? While, yes, the flag was first used in the continental army, nowadyas, it has moved quite far from simply being used as a historical prop.
In my opinion, most people that say that the Gadsden flag represents “racism and hatred” most likely take all their information on the symbol from the fearmongering media.