The “Appeal to Heaven” or pine tree flag is in focus due to a dispute in New Hampshire. A Nashua woman formally requested to fly the flag on a flagpole outside city hall, but the mayor’s office refused to allow it, citing the city’s policy that a message will only be allowed if it is in harmony with messages the city endorses and wishes to express.
The Institute for Free Speech said the city’s position violates the First Amendment and censors free speech, and it’s supporting the woman’s lawsuit against the city in federal court.
The institute also said the city has allowed other cause-related flags to fly there, such as during Pride month.
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In today’s political climate, the Appeal to Heaven flag has been surrounded in controversy. However, New Hampshire’s connection to the pine tree flag dates back to the Revolutionary War.
The pine tree flag is associated with resistance, and it is often a symbol seen with far-right movements. Flag-wavers have appeared at rallies for former President Donald Trump, and demonstrators waved it at the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
In addition, critics have called out U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for flying the Appeal to Heaven flag at his vacation home in New Jersey.
Alito countered that his wife chose the flag as a tribute to George Washington and he was not aware of any connection between it and the far-right movement.
The woman in New Hampshire said it represents an important part of local history. She accused Nashua officials of trying to silence voices that they disagree with.
The matter will now head to the U.S. District Court in Concord.
Craig Nigrelli
THE SO-CALLED **APPEAL TO HEAVEN** OR THE ‘PINE TREE’ FLAG IS BACK IN THE NEWS. THIS TIME IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THE FLAG HAS AN IMAGE OF THE TREE ON IT, AS WELL AS THE WORDS “AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN”.
A WOMAN IN NASHUA WANTS TO FLY THE FLAG ON WHAT IS CALLED THE CITIZEN’S FLAGPOLE OUTSIDE CITY HALL. NEW HAMPSHIRE’S CONNECTION TO THE PINE TREE DATES BACK TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
BUT THE MAYOR OF NASHUA HAS REFUSED TO ALLOW IT, CITING THE CITY’S POLICY THAT ANY MESSAGE WILL BE ALLOWED **ONLY IF** IT IS IN HARMONY WITH MESSAGES THE CITY ENDORSES AND WISHES TO EXPRESS.
THE INSTITUTE FOR FREE SPEECH SAYS THAT POSITION VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND CENSORS FREE SPEECH. IT IS NOW SUPPORTING THE WOMAN’S LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY IN FEDERAL COURT.
IT ALSO SAYS THE CITY HAS ALLOWED OTHER CAUSE-RELATED FLAGS TO FLY THERE, SUCH AS, DURING PRIDE MONTH.
THE APPEAL TO HEAVEN FLAG HAS BEEN A LIGHTNING ROD OF CONTROVERSY IN TODAY’S POLITICAL CLIMATE.
THE PINE TREE IS ASSOCIATED WITH RESISTANCE AND IS OFTEN A SYMBOL SEEN WITH FAR-RIGHT MOVEMENTS. FLAG-WAVERS HAVE APPEARED AT RALLIES FOR FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND DEMONSTRATORS WAVED IT, AT THE JANUARY 6TH INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL.
IN ADDITION, CRITICS HAVE CALLED-OUT U-S SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO FOR FLYING THE **APPEAL TO HEAVEN** FLAG AT HIS VACATION HOME IN NEW JERSEY.
ALITO COUNTERED THAT HIS WIFE CHOSE THE FLAG AS A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN **IT* AND THE FAR-RIGHT MOVEMENT.
AS FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE CASE, THE WOMAN WHO WANTS TO FLY IT SAYS IT REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT PART OF LOCAL HISTORY. SHE ACCUSES NASHUA OFFICIALS OF TRYING TO SILENCE VOICES THEY DISAGREE WITH. WE’LL SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT IN FEDERAL COURT. FOR MORE UNBIASED STORIES LIKE THIS, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS AP
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