Associate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is now at the center of a second flag “controversy” after it was revealed on Wednesday that he displayed an “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside his family’s beach house in New Jersey. The flag was commissioned by America’s first President, George Washington, and based upon philosopher John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government.
On Monday, The New York Times reported that Alito had displayed an upside-down American flag outside his primary residence shortly before Biden‘s inauguration as president. Left-wing activists and the corporate media claim that both flag displays are associated with the January 6 U.S. Capitol rioters.
MSNBC host Chris Hayes called the flag display “Real sick stuff!” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Meanwhile, The New Republic—a far-left magazine— claims the flag is a “…symbol of Donald Trump’s ‘Stop the Steal’ movement—including one carried by rioters at the Capitol building.”
The far-left activist group MoveOn has used the controversy to push a petition demanding Alito recuse himself from any pending cases before the Supreme Court that relate to the January 6 riots or former President Donald J. Trump.
ORIGINS OF THE FLAG.
Despite the corporate media’s insinuations, however, the “Appeal to Heaven” flag is not a symbol exclusive to the Capitol rioters. The flag—which bears a pine tree charge on a white field—first came into use during the American Revolution. Then known as The Pine Tree flag, it was designed by General George Washington‘s secretary, Colonel Joseph Reed.
The flag’s first official use was as a naval ensign for a squadron of six frigates commissioned for the Continental Army. In July 1776, Massachusetts adopted the “Appeal to Heaven” flag as the ensign for its state navy. The flag remains the official maritime ensign for the state, though the text on it was removed in 1971.
The phrase “An Appeal to Heaven” is rooted in the writings of English philosopher John Locke. In his “Second Treatise of Government,” Locke argued that when all legal and earthly means of redress are exhausted, people have the right to appeal to a higher power. This sentiment resonated deeply with the American colonists, who felt oppressed by British rule and saw their struggle for independence as a just cause under divine providence.
