WATCH: Gadsden Flag Controversy Sparked as Video of Colorado Springs’ Vanguard School Official Slammed Student, Went Viral
On Tuesday morning a video involving the controversy of Hopkins flag or Gadsden flag surfaced online. The controversy sparked post the video from The Vanguard School in Colorado Springs went viral all across the internet.
The president of Libertas Institute, Connor Boyack shared various posts on formerly Twitter, X about the Vanguard School objecting wearing the flag patch to a student named Jaiden on his bag. Jaiden is just 12 years old.
The Gadsden flag showcased the words “DON’T TREAD ON ME” written beneath a bright yellow background. It also features a timber rattlesnake. The flag was created by Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolinian politician and soldier. The flag was flown by Esek Hopkins for the first time.
Esek Hopkins was the first naval commander in chief and commodore of the Continental Navy of the United States. During the independence struggle of America from British rule, Hopkins hoisted the flag.
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The Viral Video of Vanguard School, Colorado Springs
The video that went viral features a school official who told the student’s mother that the Hopkins flag has connections with the slave trade and slavery. Therefore, it is inappropriate for Jaiden to carry the bag to school.
The official stated that she was just enforcing the school’s policies to not bring the flag to school when the student’s mother objected that the flag is a symbol of the American Revolutionary War and not the slave trade or slavery.
Gadsden Flag Origins
“DON’T TREAD ON ME” craved on the Gadsden flag means an expression of freedom and liberty. The rattlesnake featured on the flag is the symbol of retaliation and defense as during the 1700s American freedom was showcased via snakes.
The founding father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin said, “The Rattlesnake never backed down when provoked.” Later the commission also stated that the phrase, “DON’T TREAD ON ME” has no racial context associated with it. Even the EEOC found no connection between racism and the flag.
Netizens criticized The Vanguard School
Netizens went to Twitter and criticized the school and its policies for disrespecting the student as well as his mother without having proper knowledge about the flag. They criticized the School for keeping the students away from holding on to patriotism and American history.
FAQs
What is the controversy surrounding the Hopkins or Gadsden flag?
The controversy involves a video from The Vanguard School in Colorado Springs, where a school official objected to a student named Jaiden wearing a Hopkins or Gadsden flag patch on his bag. The flag’s history and its connections to the slave trade were debated.
What does the Gadsden flag symbolize?
The Gadsden flag features the words “DON’T TREAD ON ME” and a rattlesnake, symbolizing freedom, liberty, and retaliation. It originated during the American Revolutionary War and represents American patriotism.
