Why do you fly his flag? Why now? Why still?

To the Editor:

For those of you in our community who still proudly fly Trump flags from your homes and businesses, I implore you to respond to this simple question: 

Why?

I genuinely struggle to understand your rationale. Why do you still fly the flag of an outgoing president? What ideals does Trump’s flag represent to you after four long years of strife and discord?

Voting for and supporting a candidate is one thing; flying the flag of an individual candidate is quite another.

Patriotism is the act of pledging allegiance to one’s nation and its people above any one man or woman. We are greater than any single individual. Our strength lies in our independent voices and values working together to achieve a common good: the survival and success of our nation.

To see a group of people so fervently pledge their allegiance to a man over their nation is puzzling. From an outsider looking in, unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump seems to be the antithesis of democracy. At the heart of democracy, we elect leaders to represent our interests, but we also continually monitor, question, and challenge those leaders.

I do not expect to agree with the candidates I elect on every issue, and I certainly would never fly the flag of an individual. Flying the flag of an individual is reminiscent of the portraits of Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin that were displayed, feared, and worshiped in Communist China and the Soviet Union in bygone eras.

Worshiping an individual as many have worshiped Trump is not a phenomenon I believe has often been observed in the American democratic landscape.

On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, President Trump incited a seditious riot on our nation’s Capitol Building, resulting in several deaths and injuries. He allowed this breach to occur and failed to act to put an end to the destruction he had instigated. His actions and inactions threatened the very fabric of our democracy.

I can understand why you may have voted for Trump. I can see the value in placing lawn signs on your property as a means of promoting your candidate of choice — prior to an election. However, after such a horrific event in our shared history, I cannot fathom why I still see his flag flying in Altamont, in the Hilltowns, and in Guilderland. In our community. 

As your neighbor, I am curious: Why do you fly his flag? Why now? Why still? 

Katie Fahrenkopf

Altamont

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