If you were in Yosemite National Park this past weekend (February 22, to be exact), you might have been enthralled by the extraordinary sight of the American flag hanging upside-down from a cliff.
It is inherently chaotic to be an American nowadays. A new government occasionally promises change, but Donald Trump’s executive orders, contradictory remarks, and crackdowns on suspected expenditures in the federal workforce have gone beyond mere controversy. And we haven’t even talked about the foreign policy disaster he is causing.
As a result, much of the rest of the world is watching the US with interest that almost borders on worry. What precisely are Trump and his illogical associates going to do next?
Although we don’t know the answer (let’s face it, nobody knows, possibly not even Donald himself), we can tell you what kind of message was being communicated when someone decided to hang the US flag upside down from El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
You might not be surprised to learn that the US flag has a traditional set of rules.
There’s a little more to it than simply letting the flag know you value it by preventing it from becoming soiled every now and then. You’ve undoubtedly seen videos online of individuals going to extreme lengths to ensure the flag never hits the ground.
The US Flag Code states that the flag may never be used for apparel, beds, or draperies. It should never be ornamented, drew back, or rolled up; it should always be left to fall naturally.
Another rule states that “the flag should never be displayed with the union down,” which is exactly what happened at Yosemite on Sunday. So what’s going on exactly?
NBC News reports that a team of Yosemite staff members planted the flag there with a specific objective in mind.
According to the previously mentioned Flag Code, “unless it is a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property,” the US flag should never be flown upside down.
Yosemite workers reportedly hung the flag upside down in protest of recent layoffs at the National Park Service.
The Trump administration has reportedly slashed 1,000 jobs, affecting workers at the agency’s national parks and forests. Trump’s advice to Elon Musk, the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, to be “more aggressive” in his pursuit of alleged cost-cutting techniques may be worrisome.
How do you feel about the unrest that is now occurring in the United States? Tell us in the space provided for comments.
