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Distressed PatriotsTM for America acknowledges its American flag design will be both applauded and criticized by patriotic Americans. The Distressed Patriots logo is a compilation of two American flags co-joined by a shared 13th red stripe symbolic of one country that protects freedom of speech, speech that even when it invites dispute and stirs people to anger reminds us that we remain one people. The top flag is shown in the proper flag etiquette position (incidentally facing RIGHT) whilst the bottom flag is flown in the internationally recognized distress signal position (incidentally for the symbolism of this design, facing LEFT). Flying a flag upside down has military origins and the U.S. Flag Code permits this use of the American flag as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property. Displaying a flag in this manner has been used by extension to make a statement about distress in civic, political and social discourse and disagreement. Under the First Amendment , Supreme Court rulings protect this form of expression. As the liberal United States Supreme Court Justice William Joseph Brennan, Jr. noted, the "principal function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute; it may indeed best serve its high purpose when it induces condition of unrest, creates dissatisfaction with conditions as they are, or even stirs people to anger." The Distressed Patriots logo is symbolic of patriotism and the distress felt by millions of citizens for its current direction. We believe the Democratic Party’s current direction with the support of many Republicans, is an extreme danger to the survival of the American way of life. When a government proceeds with almost near abandon in putting our country into nearly incomprehensible and growing national debt, which is the financial obligation of every single tax paying individual and company, then we are talking about "extreme danger to property." Distressed Patriots for America believes they have used the American flag as it is intended to be used - both as a symbol of patriotism and as a recognized distress signal under the US Flag Code. We encourage Americans to proudly wear an American Made Distressed Patriot pin to express solidarity and unity with Distressed Patriots across the USA. |
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