FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL: Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska is calling on President Joe Biden and his federal agencies to show inclusivity toward pro-life Americans by flying pro-life flags during October, which is Respect Life Month.
The Nebraska senator sent 20 letters to Biden administration agencies with this request, first obtained by The Daily Signal. The White House and the agencies are very unlikely to fly flags honoring the unborn, but since Biden heads the most pro-abortion administration in United States history, the move highlights the one-sidedness of the administration’s much-criticized decision to fly the Pride flag on federal buildings, including the White House, throughout the month of June.
“Many Americans felt the White House’s Pride celebration earlier this month and the flying of the Pride flag at the White House was a statement that you and your administration only celebrate some Americans,” he noted.
“I sincerely hope that is not the case. By also honoring Respect Life Month later this year and flying the pro-life flag, you would send a powerful statement that our country celebrates Americans of all beliefs and is committed to protecting innocent and vulnerable life.”
The Pro-Life Flag Project has designed a “unifying banner for the pro-life movement” to draw attention to the innocence and vulnerability of an unborn child in the womb, Ricketts pointed out in his letters. The flag features two footprints to show the unborn baby’s humanity, with hands above and below the footprints to symbolize the mother’s love and protection for her baby.
Ricketts, who formerly served as governor of Nebraska, reminded Biden that he had recognized the flag as the “pro-life flag for Nebraska” during his time as governor.
“Flying the pro-life flag at the White House during Respect Life Month would show the federal government stands alongside its citizens in upholding the unalienable truth that all people, including the unborn, have a right to life,” he emphasized, concluding: “I pray you receive wisdom and guidance as you lead our great nation.”
In a statement to The Daily Signal, Ricketts said that many Americans took Biden’s decision to fly the Pride flag at the White House as a sign that the administration only celebrates a certain class of Americans.
“By flying the pro-life flag during Respect Life Month, President Biden would send a much-needed signal that our country respects the dignity of every American, including the unborn,” he added. “I’m committed to making this a reality and will be urging my colleagues to join this effort as we approach October.”
When the White House flew a Pride flag in June, Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton suggested that the Biden administration did so in violation of the U.S. Flag Code.
“To advance revolutionary transgender agenda targeting children, Biden violates basic tenet of U.S. Flag Code and disrespects every American service member buried under its colors,” Fitton said at the time, before citing the code: “U.S. Flag Code §7. (e) The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of states or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs.”
Legacy media like Reuters inconclusively suggested that the White House move did not violate the Flag Code, noting that the code “does not include explicit language on enforcement mechanisms and is considered voluntary” and that “vexillologists [flag experts] offered different perspectives on whether the White House display was a violation of the Flag Code.”
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