Tea Party flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol Apr 8, 2010 Recommend Comments(2) Email Print Share RSS
(NECN: Brian Burnell, Hartford, Conn.) - It's the flag that won't fly. Tea Party Patriots in Connecticut are fuming over their on again/off again plans to fly their flag over the state capitol. They say state lawmakers' objections are treading on their rights.
This is the Gadsden flag and it has a rich history. It was among the first symbols adopted by the US Marine Corps in 1775. It has also been taken up by Tea Party Patriots across the country as their symbol. Tea Party Patriots in Connecticut got permission to fly the flag over the state capital on April 9. That permission has now been rescinded because of the political nature of the Tea Party Patriots.
Tanya Bachand, CT Tea Party Patriots: "It's not a political statement. It's a statement of honoring the military. Honoring the scrappy American spirit that... Don't Tread on Me... its more than a motto. It's a way of life for the American people. In fairness, though, it did become coupled with candidates announcing their candidacy. It did."
The patriots planned to introduce some 30 candidates for office after the flag raising. Since permission was pulled they offered to drop that portion of the program but the Capital Police still say 'no'.
Bill Shields, CT Tea Party Patriots: "I just can't come up with any other explanation other than Mickey Lawlor not liking the Tea Party flag."
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