An obscure Revolutionary War-era flag emblazoned with a pine tree has drawn renewed attention amid reports that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito flew the “Appeal to Heaven” flag above his New Jersey beach house in the past year.
The “Appeal to Heaven” flag, also known as the “Pine Tree Flag,” features a rudimentary evergreen tree drawn on a white background with “An Appeal to Heaven” written in black block letters. Today, the flags can be purchased online for about $30.
The flag was initially designed by Col. Joseph Reed, an aide-de-camp to then-Gen. George Washington during the war. According to researchers, Reed had intended the “flag with a white ground and a tree in the middle” to be a “signal by which our vessels may know one another.”
Several of the flags were spotted in the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in support of former President Trump and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Revolutionary War symbolism and slogans, including the cry of “1776,” were embraced by Trump supporters as they fought the 2020 election outcome.
More broadly, the Appeal to Heaven flag has served as a call for a conservative, Biblical-centered government. Nearly a decade ago, the flag was reported to be the source of contention in south Arkansas, as the Appeal to Heaven movement tried to catch fire.
The movement’s adherents ascribe to an effort to “honor the Lord by supporting candidates for public office who are believers in Jesus Christ, who regularly attend and display a commitment to an evangelical, Gospel-centered church, and who will commit to live and govern based on biblical … principles.”
Read more at Thehill.com
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