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GOP Official in Pa. Symbolically Hangs U.S. Flag Upside Down on Day of Obama’s Second-Term Inauguration

Jan. 21, 2013 9:36pm Jason Howerton

GOP Official in Pennsylvania Symbolically Hangs U.S. Flag Upside Down on Day of Obamas Second Term Inaguration

(WPXI)

On the day of President Barack Obama’s second-term inauguration celebration, the head of the Mon Valley Republican party hung a U.S. flag upside down as a symbolic gesture.

The flag was reportedly hung outside the party’s headquarters in McKeesport, Pa. and it quickly caught the attention of local media and residents. WPXI talked to several people who saw the flag and “a lot of them” said the signal of distress was inappropriate.

The man who hung the flag upside down told WPXI that he doesn’t regret the display because “our nation is in a terrible place.” Two additional flags, one on the building’s door and another on the wall, also appeared to be flipped upside down.

Utterly disappointed with the direction of the United States, the GOP official said he felt he needed to send a clear message. He apparently removed the flags at sundown.

The chair of the Mon Valley Republican Committee is identified on the group’s website. However, WPXI does not identify the GOP official in its official story.

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Comments (157)

RationalMan
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:43pm
Philosophy studies the fundamental nature of existence, of man, and of man’s relationship to existence.
Philosophy has brought America to it’s greatness…just look around you what happen to other Countries!

It is philosophy that has brought men to this state—it is only philosophy that can lead them out.

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PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:39pm
A fine neighbor was in the Navy and his son is a Marine in Afghanistan another son was Army and now in the local police. He has a wonderful Lawnmower business in his big 4 car garage and he’s a great character, very patriotic. He has been flying the flag of distress for over 2 years and it is well lit with flood lights and on a fairly busy street on the route the school buses take to the high school about 6 blocks away. I wonder how many people even notice it since it’s a large pole and the flag is waving high. I pray for the day that it will fly right again. He does too.

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- neverending
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:44pm
  Amen and amen to that one.
  
  Report this comment
TH777
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:35pm
You and your president are a dis-repect to this Country! Along with your friend Keaton33

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semihardrock
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:30pm
The American Chain is ONLY as Strong as the Weakest Link. He JUST got Re-Elected.

THE FIRST Affirmative Action US President in a Chain of many more to come…..

THIS COMMERCIAL IS PAID FOR BY PROGRESSIVES

Copyright Reserved

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nw5052001
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:22pm
you can help remove the illegal, or you can fly your flag upside down, or you can do nothing

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- nw5052001
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:27pm
  For four years everyone we done it your way and it is not working
  http://www.petition2congress.com/9026/start-immediate-investigation-barack-obamas-use-forged-ids-ct-ssn/?src=widget
  
  Report this comment
- CatB
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:38pm
  I can do more than one thing at a time …
  
  Report this comment
- jteagle
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:48am
  CATB…Now I know you’re not being honest. Most of you guys can’t walk and chew gum.
  
  Report this comment
sparkyrules
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:19pm
My American flag has been un-gallantly waving on the pole upside down since November 7th,2012.It’ll stay that way until the Boy King Barack Hussein Obama and his anti-American thugs are no longer in power.

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- jteagle
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:33am
  You only have 4 more years to wait. You guys are all a bunch of idiots.
  
  Report this comment
- servant100
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:22am
  Let’s see…flying the flag upside down is the international cry for help/assistance…a recognition of a situation that is so out of control that you need immediate assistance to survive.
  
  Yep…that just about nails Barry’s second term as the new “Dear Leader.” Only problem here is that everywhere else in the “international” environment is much much worse…
  
  Reminds me of the old saw, “the Lord helps those who help themselves!”
  
  As the captain in the movie “Serenity” stated in a similar situation..”I aim ot seriously misbehave!”
  
  Time to start breaking this police state down to its base components.
  
  As Jefferson put it: “The tree of liberty must be watered by the blood of martyrs…”
  
  Report this comment
- retribution11
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:00pm
  Considering that obama has driven the national debt up further than the last 44 President’s combined I don’t think we need four more years of this.
  
  Report this comment
- CenterLineStripe
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:17pm
  @retribution,
  
  THAT statement is misleading and you know it…wait, what am i saying of course you don’t. It’s called I.N.F.L.A.T.I.O.N. The very same reason why the amount of money that bought a car in 1920 won’t buy a Apple device today
  
  Report this comment
Motorsports-X
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:17pm
I have got a HUGE american flag that i plan on flying upside down on July 4th. Im talking 30 feet by 50 feet big.. just looking for a place to hang it.

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- brenster
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:56am
  Great plan .. the more you offend . the more good you will do. Thank you for your support.
  
  Report this comment
UNINFORMED
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:15pm
As an Army vet, I turned my flag upside down Nov 7.

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shorelineliz
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:13pm
Awesome. Wish everybody had followed this guy’s lead.

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- brenster
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:48am
  Thank you .
  
  Report this comment
lel2007
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:06pm
The signal of national distress was most appropriate. Pretending obama & Co. are ordinary American political types is folly. He and his gang have Lady Liberty by the throat, yet too many standby and pretend they’re giving her a neck massage.

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- muffythetuffy
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:20pm
  THAT IS CALLED “STRIKING THE COLORS”
  
  Our Flag may be spit at, burned, and stepped on but we never surrender by striking our colors. Just because we now have a lawless renegade government does not mean We the People surrender.
  
  GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH…
  
  Report this comment
- NoFameLost
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:01am
  Striking the colors is pulling the flag down, especially at sea. Not flying it upside-down. Striking the color IS surrender, white flag is truce, upside-down is signal of distress.
  
  Report this comment
justangry
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:06pm
I used to feel that way, but the thing that made this country great wasn’t the flag. It was the Constitution and freedom. The majority of representatives, on both sides of the aisle, have done practically everything imaginable to undermine it and restrict our freedom. Not that I have any more love for the GOP than the DNC, but everyone should be a swore loser. We have no rights anymore, foreign bankers are stealing our wealth, mad men are bombing people all around the world for no good reason, and as we speak the last means to resist tyranny is in the process of being taken.

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- Fla.Patriot
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:32pm
  Agreed. The Flag is a symbol. It is a symbol of what made this country great and what we stand for. Given the fact that Obama and his cronies have a total disregard for the Constitution or any of the principals that this country was founded upon, or even for the rule of Law, I think it is completely appropriate to fly that symbol Upside Down. I also agree that The GOP isn’t worth my time anymore. I have been a registered Republican since 1982. My very first vote cast was for Reagan. But the party I see now has not the intestinal fortitude to represent “we the people”. With the exceptions of a very few “Tea Party” freshmen, the Republican Party is just as corrupt as the Democrats, but what is worse is that they have NO SPINE. I have change my Registration to NPA, and I am watching like a hawk. I have to wonder if we will even have an election in 2016, or if all out Civil War will come first
  
  Report this comment
- ktywck
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:38am
  Agree! Upside-down FLAG = Distress Call!!!! If ever a nation was in deistress, this one certainly is. Yesterday, the Inauguration of the president who ” has nothing to lose” – DISTRESS!!!!
  
  Report this comment
KangarooJack
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:04pm
Nope, looked it up- He’s right.

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BODYBAG
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:00pm
It cant figure out that “disrespect” isnt a real word, so knowing what a communist is will be a stretch.

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Keatonc333
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:59pm
Flying a flag upside down is a sign of distress, especially for boats and ships. It isn’t a showing of disrespect. And though i disagree with it as a protest to Obama, being as I like Obama and think he’s doing a good job. I do fully support his statement. As inauguration day passes lets all reflect on how lucky we are. That we live in a Nation where you can speak out as openly as you want against our leaders and wont be killed or jailed. We can change presidencies without civil unrest and violence. and that if you don’t like the president you will get another chance in just four years. Proud to be an American! and as bad as you think it may be under Obama. Its still better than almost every other country.

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- TexasKnight
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:09pm
  Nice post.
  I do find it truly amazing that you would think B.O. is doing a good job.
  I remember when I was actually proud of being an American. Now I refuse to tell people what country I am from.
  
  Report this comment
- Armyduderetired
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:32pm
  Yeah I remember spray painting my fence with “W04″ cuz my sign keep getting stolen. I leave that on my fence as a reminder to myself that I am capable of making mistakes. Now I know that it’s just a game and money and power corrupt. It is all about the constitution folks. I suggest you read it study it and understand its contents. It is every sworn mans oath that is part of the government to protect and defend it from all enemy’s foreign and Domestic. It’s pretty apparent who are enemies are and that most of them reside in the government. Do not let your right to bare arms, ( kinda like rolling up your sleeves when your going to fix something) be infringed. You will surely lose your freedom if it disappears. John 3:16 can be useful also. Peace through strength and mind the constitution. I believe that’s what Ron Paul’s point was. Proud to be a paultard I guess. I believe he could of won the election and you wouldn’t be flying the flag upside down if he did.
  
  Report this comment
- drs1969
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:41pm
  4 more years of this insane spending will bury the country, economically.
  Personally, I would’ve moved to Australia, years ago, if I could have convinced family. That ‘America is the greatest’ line has worn thin w/ me since I left the Army (yes, honorable discharge), in disgust, 25 years ago. I told people then, and I tell people now, the US gov. is corrupt to it’s core. If you know that, you can’t be surprised that the illegitimate BHO was elected or re-elected. We live under a dictatorship and BHO is just it’s puppet.
  
  Report this comment
- I_AM_HARRISON_BERGERON
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:48pm
  Keaton, as much as we fundamentally disagree on so many issues, I have to say thank you for a post that is truly worthy of civilized dialogue.
  The fact is that we see unacceptable threats to our freedom and through historical comparisons believe that we are on a crash course into socialism. Obviously, you don’t see the threat or you fully know the threat to be true but believe it to be a better fate for America. I believe the former to be the truth in your case. But the fact is that we daily deal with many who fall into the latter category… How could we not be enraged and prone to jump to the defense of our fundamental beliefs that freedom should forever be the destiny of our great nation.
  As a side note it is becoming incredibly tiresome being referred to as right wing extremists for our conservative beliefs. On the political scale the far left equates to total government control. This would include to varying extents; Marxism, socialism, communism and fascism. To the far right is the complete lack of government whatsoever, or anarchy. Conservatism is the fundamental idea of having the minimal government required to maintain social order while preserving the maximum level of freedom of the people possible. Our founders provided in the Constitution the acknowledgement of the right of the people to overthrow a government that becomes a threat to our liberty, establishing America as being just barely right of neutral on the political scale by the nature of that act only.
  
  Report this comment
- Yogibearwatcher
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:56pm
  I to support our system of government. I do not support deceptive tactics, and lies. Our president says one thing and his “thugs” do another. Wake up man before it is too late. He has done nothing for the general public to help. Being a president requires that he be a ” Steward” not a “self centered wanna be celebrity”.
  PS: Google steward if you don’t know what it means.
  
  Report this comment
- nw5052001
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:19pm
  I have a hard time believing you trust in those words..I am willing to bet you are only talking like that out of fear…..
  
  Report this comment
- wisconsinlcm
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:52pm
  Good post,I take back all the things I said about you. See we all can agree to disagree,now we can talk more and not fight. KODOS
  
  Report this comment
- SanMoo
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:24am
  You live in a “Dream World”. Sad
  
  Report this comment
tothepoint
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:59pm
The country is in distress with the re-election of an anti-American President.
Flying the flag upside down was appropriate.
My flag has been at half mast since the President refused to help the four Americans in Benghazi and they were murdered. And the President and his gang party and dance on as if nothing happened.

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Gargent_Furball
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:58pm
I have totally lost hope in the Republican Party. I’m looking for the Tea party of something other than the Two Communist party’s we have.
Never in my life have I ever thought this would be the day I said that.

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- alex242004
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:03pm
  I feel you brother… no more votes for both the GOP and DEM communist parties
  
  Report this comment
SilentBird
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:57pm
The Leopard has verified himself today.Now is the time for repentance and revival. Here is Mr. Tapley’s explanation about Obama’s connection with the Leopard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5RmlzQXsCM

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Armyduderetired
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:53pm
Free will. It is appropriate to tell the truth. It is the truth. Now get out there and perfect an aquaculture system to grow your own high quality pot and leave the posts to the truth seekers and freedom fighters. There is a place for you in this world. “Effort” is neither created or destroyed. It takes intestinal fortitude to stand for freedom and God gives that right to every living human. Free at least.

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BODYBAG
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:49pm
“Utterly disappointed with the direction of the United States, the GOP official said he felt he needed to send a clear message. He apparently removed the flags at sundown.”

There are no words in the English language to describe how weak and spineless you cowards are.
Eunuchs.
Instead of removing the flags due to a few complaints you should have put up 4 more 8 x 12 versions.
God help us because the people who “represent” us sure arent.

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- lel2007
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:58pm
  How many flags did you display in national distress format?
  
  Report this comment
- Joey8
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:00pm
  Calm down and read up on proper flag etiquette. Most people remove their flags at night unless they have some illumination for it
  
  Report this comment
- spfoam1
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:00pm
  He probably didn’t want the building to burn after sunset. You know how peaceful and tolerant Obamanites.
  
  Report this comment
- vendingdude
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:02pm
  Funny, I assumed he took down the flags simply because it became nighttime and he had made his point. I see no connection between the media coverage and the flags’ removal.
  
  Report this comment
- TexasKnight
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:04pm
  He did the corect thing!
  Unless properly lighted (does not appear to be), flags are supposed to come down at sunset. To do anything else, would be disrespecting the flag.
  Personally, I have not flown a flag (upside down or otherwise) for 4 years. I took it down the day I gave up on America. The first time we selected B.O. to bring his stench to the whitehouse.
  
  Report this comment
- BODYBAG
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 11:36pm
  LMAO
  The Republic is being methodically destroyed purposely in a progressive pornographic orgasm
  and you’re discussing “flag etiquette” ?
  
  Report this comment
- brenster
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:54am
  I did NOT remove the flag due to complaints . My intention was to display a flag that a friend and fellow party member donated to our group, this flag decorated his brother’s casket during his military burial. I put it up at dawn .. and I took it in at sundown. I absolutely did not consider leaving it longer because I made the statement that I intended to make, we have over 200 shares on the News stations page and website and are receiving national attention . I would not risk damage to the flag that was entrusted to me by displaying it outside longer than what I did. What I did , I did because I love America, Period.
  
  Report this comment
Keatonc333
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:46pm
Are we sure its a statement. Maybe the owners of this gas station just made a mistake. they’re GOP officials after all.

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- Keatonc333
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:01pm
  Oh no! i’m not catholic…
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:50pm
  Troll, get your money back from that community college.
  
  Report this comment
spfoam1
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:44pm
I agree with the gesture.

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Gary_K
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:44pm
Do you know what an upsidedown flag means?

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Gary_K
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:43pm
That is the way I fly my flag and I am happy to see someone in government getting and expressing what is going on.

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- neverending
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:50pm
  Many of us join you.
  
  Report this comment
- Armyduderetired
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:03pm
  He is not in the government. He belongs to the Grand Old Party ( GOP) the same party as Bush that surely was responsible in taking away of your 1st, 4th, 5th and 10th amendments. You people better find out who’s side your on because there is very little right with today’s Republican Party. You are being lied to. Wake up people! Time is running short. Just think what you’ll do if the Internet shuts down and prepare for that day. It will soon arrive as the winds of change are upon us.
  
  Report this comment
phunkymunkey
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:41pm
someone with the balls to express what we are all feeling… :(

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- DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:02pm
  Truly a day of dispair.
  I went to work but asked myself why?
  
  Report this comment
- drs1969
  Posted on January 21, 2013 at 10:53pm
  Re: Daddy
  To pay the taxes for BHO, aka. Barracka
  Claus’ Welfare/Affirmative Action cronies. Keep working, millions on welfare depend on you!
  
  Report this comment
- brenster
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:55am
  Thank you .. much appreciated.
  
  Report this comment
neverending
Posted on January 21, 2013 at 9:41pm
The appropriate thing to do!

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- Welcome Black Carter
  Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:55am
  Many in Texas have taken down the U.S flag and only fly the Texas flag. This started in the unsurpers first term. Day One.
  
  Report this comment

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