A controversial “Attraction to Heaven” flag that has not too long ago grow to be related to the “Cease the Steal” motion and Christian nationalism was flown above the Small Enterprise Administration (SBA) company final week in Washington, DC.
On June 11, Kelly Loeffler, the previous senator from Georgia and present administrator of the SBA, participated in a ceremony the place a brand new American flag was raised over the company’s headquarters in DC. Simply beneath the American flag, on what gave the impression to be the identical halyard, was an “Attraction to Heaven” flag. Sources inform WIRED that the “Attraction to Heaven” flag was raised for lower than a day.
Although the flag’s roots date to the Revolutionary Warfare, in recent times it has grow to be a preferred image for the far-right. The “Attraction to Heaven” flag was waved by January 6 rioters on the Capitol in 2021 and has grow to be related to President Donald Trump’s supporters who deny the end result of the 2020 presidential election. The flag has additionally been linked to Christian nationalists, who imagine that the US must be a Christian nation, quite than a secular one.
“That the ‘Attraction to Heaven’ flag is being flown on a authorities constructing alongside the American flag must be stunning to anybody who does not want to reside in a theocracy,” says Jon Lewis, a analysis fellow on the Program on Extremism at George Washington College. “The modern utilization of the Attraction to Heaven flag is synonymous with Christian nationalism, full cease.”
“Those that carried the ‘Attraction to Heaven’ flag to the Capitol on January 6 did so as a result of they honestly believed that they had the chance to inject Christian fundamentalism into the very basis of our democracy, and the picture of the identical flag on the SBA will give them ample proof they succeeded,” Lewis provides.
Different Republicans have beforehand shared their help for the “Attraction to Heaven” flag. Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson has displayed the flag displayed outdoors of his workplace and the flag was controversially flown outdoors of affiliate justice of the Supreme Court Samuel Alito’s trip house in New Jersey. In an interview with the Associated Press, Johnson stated he didn’t know that the flag was related to election deniers. In a letter to lawmakers final yr, Alito stated the identical factor. (Alito additionally got here below fireplace for the flying of an upside-down American flag at his house in Virginia. An upside-down flag is a misery sign that has, in recent times, grow to be related to right-wing protesters).
In a June 11 post on her X account, Loeffler wrote, “Immediately at SBA’s Flag Day Ceremony, we proudly raised a brand new AMERICAN MADE flag over our headquarters in Washington. It’s a privilege to serve below its Stars and Stripes – on behalf of the 34 million small companies who signify one of the best of America.” The submit, which features a {photograph} of the Attraction to Heaven flag and pictures of Loeffler and others seemingly trying up at each flags, remains to be up.
