Height of hypocrisy

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

When I was in grade school, we used to have to stand to recite the pledge each morning. We were pledging our allegiance to the flag and to our country. However, when one pledges their allegiance to a person, problems will occur.

The Germans pledged allegiance to Adolf Hitler, who led them into World War II, and the extermination of millions of Jews. Today, the Republican Party has pledged its allegiance to Donald Trump, rather than to the flag and to the country. This explains why so many felt justified in rioting against the nation’s Capitol, and committing insurrection to try and prevent the certification of the presidential election on Jan. 6, 2021.

This allegiance to Donald Trump is why it seems the vast majority of Republicans in Congress refuse to refer to the events that took place on Jan. 6, 2021, as an act of violence and insurrection. Also, this allegiance to Donald Trump is why only one Republican member of Congress (Liz Cheney) attended the solemn ceremony at the nation’s Capitol this past Jan. 6 to mark this tragic event. (It is my understanding that Adam Kinzinger would have been in attendance, but he and his wife were having a baby.)

During the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and insurrection, we saw American flags being used as weapons on police officers. Police officers were beaten with flag poles and other metal objects by Trump supporters. These individuals who used the American flags as weapons are the same people who denounced Colin Kaepernick and other African American athletes who quietly took a knee during the national anthem. This is the height of hypocrisy.

AUSTIN PORTER JR. Little Rock