The trouble with flags is that they often do what they're meant to do

January 15, 2025 At a beach in south Florida ten days ago, I was halfway through my daily walk, listening to an excellent book, and occasionally scanning the Gulf of Mexico for any passing dolphins. Public parking at this particular beach is located at both ends, so that's where the beach camps, picnics, and sandcastle makers tend to gather. My down-and-back walks there are highlighted by the crowds at each end. On this day, a group of ten people had formed a circle around a large Trump flag flying on a pole at least ten feet high. The shrine was positioned right at the end of the sidewalk leading to the south end of the beach in the middle of a few hundred people who had planned on spending their Saturday free from politics. A thousand miles to the north in Indianapolis, State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Ft. Wayne) was preparing to file HB 1259. The bill inserts two words, "a flag," to Indiana's statute governing campaign communications. Adding flags to this specific section of the Indiana Code would require that those pesky disclaimers be added to them. The "sponsored by" lingo on yard signs and billboards, and the "I approve this message" sound clips on video and radio ads are already required in Indiana, as they are in most places. Let's pretend for a minute that a Democrat-led campaign regulatory initiative can become law in the era of supermajority control by Republicans. What would the impact of a law like this actually be? No, I don't think it will bring the ridiculous and hostile flags down, but it will require the money making machine of the Trump campaign to at least pretend that the rule of law still applies to it. Flags have a fascinating history. I've researched and written about them before, because it is another unique feature in this political moment in America. They are more demonstrative than bumper stickers and yard signs. They are harder to ignore. They also take more of an effort to fly. For example, I watch people struggle to put umbrellas up on the beach almost every time I'm there. That ten-foot flagpole I saw ten days ago did take a little effort. I imagine the flags flying behind a Harley Davidson do occasionally get tangled or dragged whenever the bikers approach a speed trap or a stop light. But these symbols do have a history. As explained in Brittanica, "Flags originally were used mainly in warfare, and to some extent they have remained insignia of leadership, serving for the identification of friend or foe and as rallying points." And that is still what flags mean to me.   Connect with Michael Leppert Visit michaelleppert.com to read the full post and links to any resources or articles mentioned. Twitter @michaelleppert  Facebook at Michael Leppert