In responding to the criminal protestors and rioters plaguing New York City, Mayor Eric Adams commended students and Police officers for restoring the American flag on two campuses – where protestors had replaced with a Palestinian flag. It was part of a larger response by the NYPD to the illegal occupation of the grounds and buildings of local universities.
Amidst the chaos and violence of the protest, a group of college students broke out singing the National Anthem at the foot of the restored American flag. While there have been a lot to reports about campus disruptions — both from the criminal actions of many of the so-called protestors and the malignant cause they represent – there is value in digging a little deeper into the flag issue. That display of patriotism at those two universities was more than merely replacing one piece of cloth with another.
As I have written in the past, the Flag – along with the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance – are the symbolic representations of our unity, our very existence as a nation. They represent a commonality of cultural and social values. They represent an overarching culture that finds national unity even as there is vigorous debate on issues and policies. Disrespecting and demeaning the flag, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance suggest that America is less of a nation and more of a collection of competing tribal interests. Can there be unity if there are no mutually respected symbols of that unity?
Mayor Adams did more than an obligatory compliment for the students and police who restored the flags. He underscored the actions in a strong public statement. He said:
“My uncle died defending this country, and these men and women put their lives on the line – it’s despicable that schools allow another country’s flag to fly in our country. So, blame me for being proud to be an American, and I thank Commissioner Doughtry for putting that flag back up. We’re not surrendering our way of life to anyone.”
One report referred to Adam’s comment as “shocking patriotism.” It is not entirely clear if that was meant as a compliment or a criticism. It was, however, an indication that if patriotism can be described as “shocking,” it is not in vogue in modern America – especially among the left-wing intelligentsia that runs the nation’s schools and media.
Kudos to Adams for drawing the distinction between patriotic Americans and the subset of American haters who we see protesting and rioting these days.
So, there ‘tis.