FFRF Action Fund is bestowing its “Secularist of the Week” award to U.S. Sen. Ed Markey for opposing the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) recent display of an Appeal to Heaven flag, which has Christian nationalist meaning, at a Flag Day ceremony.
Markey, who represents Massachusetts, sent a letter in late June to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler after a June 11 Flag Day ceremony, where the Appeal to Heaven flag was raised above the SBA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, just below an American flag. The Appeal to Heaven flag dates back to the U.S. Revolutionary War era. Still, Christian nationalists have adopted it, a fact that gained widespread attention after it was divulged that the flag had been flown at the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. The flag was also notoriously displayed by insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Markey, the ranking member of the Senate’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, directly asked Loeffler how her decision to include the flag in the ceremony was made. Loeffler had posted photos of the event on X, one of which showed both the U.S. and Appeal to Heaven flags flying over SBA’s headquarters. She added: “Today at SBA’s Flag Day Ceremony, we proudly raised a new AMERICAN MADE flag over our headquarters in Washington. It is a privilege to serve under its Stars and Stripes – on behalf of the 34 million small businesses who represent the best of America.”
Markey’s letter demanded answers from Loeffler on the SBA’s inclusion of the Appeal to Heaven flag, describing it as “a favored emblem of Christian nationalist and anti-government factions.” Markey explained, “Although the historical significance of this flag as a Revolutionary War-era emblem is well-established, its modern reappropriation by far-right movements, including individuals involved in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and white Christian nationalists, renders its display inappropriate at a federal government institution.”
Markey continued: “In our present moment, the flag has taken on new meaning—one that runs counter to the democratic values and constitutional responsibilities entrusted to federal agencies and you as SBA Administrator.”
The flag should not have been included in the Flag Day ceremony, underscores Markey, writing, “Flying such a symbol at a federal agency on a day meant to honor the shared ideals represented by the American flag risks endorsing the messages of groups such as the Proud Boys and other white Christian nationalists, which seek to undermine the rule of law.”
“Our federal institutions must remain above ideological influence,” Markey asserted, “especially when those ideologies undermine democracy and promote division. The SBA plays a critical role in supporting our nation’s diverse collection of small businesses and fostering inclusive economic growth. It should not be associated with symbols that are increasingly viewed as partisan or extremist, or that promote hateful rhetoric.”
Markey posed several questions to Loeffler, requesting her prompt response, such as who authorized the flag and whether the SBA endorses “the beliefs of the Proud Boys or any other white Christian nationalist groups?”
Loeffler replied in writing, shockingly stating that the Appeal to Heaven flag’s “historical connotation — as one of our earliest emblems of freedom and independence — represents principles which the SBA wholeheartedly supports.”
FFRF Action Fund thanks Markey for using his office to condemn this gross endorsement of Christian nationalism by a federal institution. By challenging the normalization of extremist symbols in government spaces, Markey is ensuring that more people are aware of the Appeal to Heaven flag’s connection to Christian nationalism and white supremacy. The flag does not belong in public institutions, and public officials must speak out against its use. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, FFRF Action Fund’s parent organization, also wrote the SBA to complain.
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.