Source: yahoo.com

The American flag can mean different things to different people. For some, it inspires pride and represents freedom. To others, it’s a symbol of freedom for white people only or is seen as something that’s been co-opted by white nationalists. These differing opinions faced off in the town of New Paltz, N.Y., on Sunday.

New Paltz, a college town located in the Catskills, contains a diverse demographic of both red and blue voters. Although Ulster County went blue in the 2016 election, it was nearly a tie: Hillary Clinton took the county by only 9,358 votes.

In a nation that is so politically divided, it seems that every act of patriotism is a battle. Maria Lisante, the owner of La Bella Pizza Bistro in New Paltz, had hoped to paint an American flag mural on a wall that is covered in graffiti. However, some in the town opposed the idea, as the wall faces a middle school. (There is a GoFundMe page to raise money for painting the mural.)

This conflict inspired Joey Garcia, a New York state corrections officer and Army National Guard veteran, to organize an “American flag appreciation walk.”

“Lately our flag seems like it’s under attack,” Garcia told Fox News. “People today speak out against our flag and country so much and want to only point out what they feel is wrong with it. I understand and respect their right to their opinions, but I feel like those of us who do not feel that way have a voice too and deserve to be heard.” 

Nearly 500 people showed up to pay their respects to the flag on Sunday, but they were met with a small group of protesters, including some from the Hudson Valley Antifascist Network, according to Hudson Valley One. The protesters held signs bearing such messages as “Yes, I’m anti-AmeriKKKan,” and “Stop Pretending your Racism is Patriotism.”

Garcia and Lisante didn’t want the rally to hold any political agenda. While the protesters chanted anti-Trump rhetoric, Garcia and Lisante enforced one rule for their group: no politics. Those who showed up for the American flag gathering were not permitted to carry political signs or hand out campaign buttons.

In fact, the Facebook invite read, “No politics. No political signs. This is not about any candidate or political party. This is only about love of our Flag, love of our country. … Feel free to bring signs like ‘honk if you love our Flag’ or ‘We stand for our flag.’ Anything that is positive and in support of the Flag, our country, and the event is welcome. Anything negative or that is attacking anybody or any group is not welcome for this event.”

Garcia said, “I asked anybody who can find any good with our flag and our country, even if we don’t agree on everything, to come together in a peaceful and positive way to express that,” according to Fox News. “Everyone was welcome at this — Democrat, Republican, liberal — everyone.”

However, one protester, Bennett Sippel, told Hudson Valley One, “The flag means lot of different things to a lot of people, including the ability to oppress.”

Garcia acknowledged the protesters’ right to free speech but encouraged those there for the flag appreciation rally to ignore them.

“We’ve been called racist, hateful, unpatriotic and worse,” he added. “It’s very sad, because it really was an amazing and positive day in the community that so many are thankful for and say they will never forget.”