{"id":2100828,"date":"2023-11-16T14:02:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T19:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-media-shrieks-in-fear-over-flag-outside-speaker-johnsons-office\/"},"modified":"2023-11-16T14:10:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T19:10:21","slug":"liberal-media-shrieks-in-fear-over-flag-outside-speaker-johnsons-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-media-shrieks-in-fear-over-flag-outside-speaker-johnsons-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberal Media Shrieks in Fear Over Flag Outside Speaker Johnson&#8217;s Office"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fliberal-media-shrieks-in-fear-over-flag-outside-speaker-johnsons-office%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2100828&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Liberal Media Shrieks in Fear Over Flag Outside Speaker\u2064 Johnson&#8217;s Office<\/h2>\n<p>Rolling\u200c Stone\u2062 magazine must\u200c have given its affluent liberal readers \u2063a\u200c feeling of breathless anticipation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Key to Mike Johnson\u2019s Christian \u2063Extremism Hangs Outside\u200d His Office,\u201d \u200bthe\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/politics\/political-commentary\/mike-johnson-christian-nationalist-appeal-to-heaven-flag-1234873851\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">story\u2019s<\/a> alarming headline read. Oh no.\u2064 What could it be?<\/p>\n<p>According to co-authors Bradley Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor, the Republican House Speaker showcases his \u201cChristian Extremism\u201d by flying the\u2064 Pine Tree \u2064flag, \u200cbetter known as\u200c the \u201cAppeal to Heaven\u201d flag.<\/p>\n<p>You read that correctly. The flag <a href=\"https:\/\/starspangledflags.com\/5-facts-about-the-pine-tree-flag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">designed<\/a> in 1775 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mountvernon.org\/library\/digitalhistory\/digital-encyclopedia\/article\/joseph-reed\/#:~:text=Joseph%20Reed%20was%20one%20of,of%20colonel%20and%20adjutant%2Dgeneral.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joseph Reed<\/a> \u2014 \u2063lieutenant colonel in\u2063 the Continental Army, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bezos-commits-largest-donation-obama-foundation-has-received-100-million-report-says\/\" title=\"Bezos Commits Largest Donation Obama Foundation Has Received: 0 Million, Report says\">aide-de-camp<\/a> to General <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/op-ed-george-washingtons-message-disheartened-soldiers-applies-perfectly-trump-indictment-era\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">George Washington<\/a> and\u2063 future signer of the Articles \u200bof \u200cConfederation \u2014 has become, in the twisted imaginations of Onishi and Taylor, a symbol\u2063 of \u201cChristian Extremism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Readers unfamiliar with the flag\u2019s history might nonetheless recognize it from its brief appearance during the opening \u2063montage for the 2008 HBO miniseries, \u201cJohn Adams.\u201d That montage, coupled with the theme song,\u200d remains \u200done of television history\u2019s most stirring \u200bintroductions.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>According to\u200c Onishi and Taylor, however,\u200c that \u200bflag\u200b now \u201cleads into \u2062a universe of right-wing religious \u200cextremism.\u201d In fact, \u201cin the past decade it \u2064has come to symbolize\u200b a die-hard vision of a hegemonically <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/christian-high-school-student-vindicated-allegedly-forced-participate-hinduistic-rituals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Christian<\/a> America.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Onishi has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usfca.edu\/faculty\/bradley-onishi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">taught<\/a> at the University of San Francisco and\u2064 elsewhere. Taylor <a href=\"https:\/\/icjs.org\/people\/matthew-d-taylor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">works<\/a> as a \u201csenior scholar\u201d at the Institute\u2064 for\u200d Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies in Baltimore. Hence the \u200cgo-to academic\u2063 jargon, \u201chegemonically.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Their reasoning regarding Johnson and the\u2062 flag\u200b could not be more\u200c tortured, but here \u2062it is \u2063in\u200c a nutshell:<\/p>\n<p>Modern Christian leaders \u200bwho believe in\u2064 prophecies\u2064 and other supernatural elements of \u200cthe ancient faith have adopted what the\u200c authors pejoratively \u2062labeled an\u200b \u201caggressive theological vision.\u201d Many of those\u2062 same leaders have supported former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/video-trump-wins-hearts-shows-granddaughters-school\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Donald Trump<\/a>. Thus, they regard\u200c the\u2063 2020 election \u200das\u2063 stolen. In\u200c fact, some protesters carried \u201cAppeal to Heaven\u201d flags outside \u2064the U.S. Capitol on\u200b Jan. 6, 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Predictable, right?<\/p>\n<p>Well, despite\u2064 the authors\u2019\u200b hand-wringing over one \u200cof the most obvious straw men ever created, Onishi apparently thought\u200c his co-authored story would receive a favorable reception on X, \u2063formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Mike\u2062 Johnson, second in line to the presidency, \u2062flies a symbol of insurrection and \u2062violence outside his office. It is a window \u200binto his religious \u2063extremism. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TaylorMatthewD?\">@TaylorMatthewD<\/a> and I wrote about \u200dit \u200bfor <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RollingStone?\">@RollingStone<\/a>:<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sQqmZuYHS7\">https:\/\/t.co\/sQqmZuYHS7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bradley Onishi (@BradleyOnishi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BradleyOnishi\/status\/1723023610900517074?\">November 10, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A \u201csymbol of insurrection and violence\u201d indeed. Ask <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/parker-faith-erodes-nation-remember-george-washington-warned-1796\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Washington<\/a> and his fellow\u2062 revolutionaries.<\/p>\n<p>As for the flag\u2019s present-day context, suffice it to say\u200b that social media\u200b users found Onishi and Taylor\u2019s hyperbole unpersuasive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf this level\u200b of pearl-clutching is what\u2019s behind your \u2062labels of \u2018insurrection \u2063and \u2063violence,\u2019\u2062 I \u2063guess\u2062 I\u2019m now a\u2064 violent insurrectionist in your book, and I simply \u2064don\u2019t care,\u201d one user wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">If this level of pearl-clutching is\u2062 what\u2019s behind your labels of \u201cinsurrection and violence,\u201d I\u2064 guess I\u2019m now a violent \u200binsurrectionist in your \u2062book, and I simply don\u2019t care.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 J Caleb \u2063Jones (@JCalebJones) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JCalebJones\/status\/1724882928247722326?\">November 15, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Some X users focused on the flag\u2019s history and scoffed at\u2063 the authors\u2019 strained interpretation of its modern meaning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLol. These people: \u2018Historically\u2019 it\u2019s awesome and wholesome and thoroughly American.\u200d But \u2018in the last decade\u2019 we say\u2064 it\u2019s poison!\u201d another user \u2064posted.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Lol. \u2063These people:\u200b \u201cHistorically\u201d it\u2019s awesome and \u200bwholesome and \u200cthoroughly American. But \u201cin \u2064the last\u200c decade\u201d we say it\u2019s poison! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Std4UtUPUi\">https:\/\/t.co\/Std4UtUPUi<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3t6BnlIGr8\">pic.twitter.com\/3t6BnlIGr8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Matt Mehan\u200b (@MTMehan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MTMehan\/status\/1725118847810785774?\">November \u206416, \u200b2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cYou did not \u200cneed \u200bto write such\u200d a long article\u2062 to claim your hatred for America, its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/op-ed-founders-knew-price-purpose-freedom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Founders<\/a>, the Father of our \u200dCountry, and Christianity. \u2063If your only concern\u2062 is a flag that was flown during\u2064 his \u200bday, \u200cthen \u2063you are the\u2064 odd man \u2063out in this question,\u201d another user wrote.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">You did not need to write such\u2064 a\u200b long \u2064article to claim \u200dyour hatred for\u200c America,\u2064 its \u2064Founders, \u200bthe Father of our Country, and \u2064Christianity. If \u200byour only \u2064concern is a flag that was \u200cflown during his day, then you\u2063 are the odd man out \u200bin this question.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Paul A. \u2062Mancuso (@pmancuso) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pmancuso\/status\/1724894651298218176?\">November\u2063 15,\u2064 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>That final post summed up the \u2064authors\u2019 \u2062basic perspective. In short, one suspects that Onishi and Taylor regard \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/bold-lion-thousand-christians-march-nyc-reverent-hymns-echo-city\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Christian<\/a>\u201d and \u201cExtremism\u201d as interchangeable terms.<\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, no doubt Rolling Stone\u2019s readers\u2062 felt satisfied.\u2062 After all,\u2063 the story affirmed their fantasies about Christianity,\u2062 Trump, Jan. 6 and every other bugbear that haunts the affluent liberal\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3>A Note from Our Founder:<\/h3>\n<p><em><b> <\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Silicon Valley\u2062 and the Big Tech tyrants\u2063 have done everything\u2063 they \u2064can to put\u200d The Western Journal \u200dout of business. Our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">faithful members<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  have \u2063kept us\u200d going.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you\u2019ve never chosen to become a member, let me be honest: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We need your help today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I also\u2063 want \u2063to send you an autographed copy of \u201cCounterpunch,\u201d which will give you a plan\u2062 to fight back \u200bfor our\u200d beloved country.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><b>Join right now<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  \u2013 The Western Journal stands for truth in\u2064 this difficult time.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Please stand with us by becoming a member today.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Floyd G. Brown<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Founder of The Western Journal<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What is the \u200chistorical significance of\u200d the &#8220;Appeal \u2063to Heaven&#8221;\u200c flag and\u2064 how does it differ from \u2064the association \u200cwith\u200b extremist ideologies?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  6, 2021, during the controversial events that unfolded that day. Therefore, in \u2063the minds \u200dof Onishi and Taylor, the flag has become a symbol of the supposed extremism associated\u200d with conservative Christianity and right-wing politics.<\/p>\n<p>It is clear that the authors of this Rolling Stone \u200darticle have\u200c a predetermined agenda. \u2062Their attempt to associate a historical flag with extremist ideologies is nothing more than fear-mongering and \u200ban \u2064unfair generalization of a diverse group of\u200c individuals who\u2062 uphold various <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legal-battles-over-pronoun-use-could-soon-land-at-supreme-court\/\" title=\"Pronoun use disputes may soon reach Supreme Court.\">religious\u200b beliefs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The &#8220;Appeal to Heaven&#8221; flag has a rich history that extends beyond any \u200dparticular religious or political affiliation. It originated during the American Revolutionary\u2064 War as a symbol of the \u2063colonists&#8217; desire for \u200cdivine intervention and their belief in the righteousness of \u2063their cause. It was\u200d a rallying cry for independence and freedom, not a call for religious extremism.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, \u2064it is unfair to conflate the display of a historical flag with an individual&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/7-of-the-most-cringeworthy-religious-mishaps-from-leading-leftists\/\" title=\"7 Of The Most Cringeworthy Religious Mishaps From Leading Leftists\">personal beliefs<\/a> \u2063or political ideologies. Just because Mike Johnson, a Republican House Speaker, chooses to fly the &#8220;Appeal to Heaven&#8221; flag outside his office does not automatically imply \u200bthat he is an extremist \u2062or that he advocates for a Christian America. It is a blatant misrepresentation to make such assumptions based solely on the presence of a flag.<\/p>\n<p>This \u200carticle\u2062 by Onishi\u2064 and Taylor\u200d exemplifies the dangerous trend of labeling and demonizing individuals who hold conservative Christian beliefs. It perpetuates the divisive narrative that anyone who does not \u200cconform to a\u2062 particular worldview \u2064is an extremist. Such generalizations only serve to further polarize \u200bsociety and stifle open and respectful dialogue.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-media-shrieks-in-fear-over-flag-outside-speaker-johnsons-office\/\" title=\"Liberal Media Shrieks in Fear Over Flag Outside Speaker Johnson's Office\">approach discussions surrounding religion<\/a>\u200b and politics\u2064 with fairness, respect, and a commitment to understanding differing perspectives. The media has a responsibility to report \u200bobjectively\u200c and avoid sensationalized headlines that only serve to enflame tensions. Instead of resorting \u200bto fear tactics and divisive rhetoric, we should strive for open-mindedness and constructive dialogue that fosters unity and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/penn-jewish-center-vandalized-ahead-of-university-conference-featuring-anti-semites\/\" title=\"Penn Jewish Center vandalized before university conference with anti-Semitic speakers.\">promotes understanding<\/a> among diverse communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>displaying a key outside his office, as reported by Rolling Stone magazine. The headline created anticipation among affluent liberal readers. Co-authors Bradley Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor claim that the key symbolizes Mike Johnson&#8217;s Christian extremism. The article raises questions about what this key represents and its significance in the Republican House Speaker&#8217;s beliefs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2056,"featured_media":2100829,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2100828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2056"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2100828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2100829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2100828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2100828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2100828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}