The Patriot Post® · No More Pride Flags at U.S. Embassies

Over the weekend, Joe Biden signed another massive spending bill, this one a $1.2 trillion appropriations deal. The bill’s passage has caused a lot of heartburn for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who quickly worked out a deal and then got taken to the proverbial woodshed by his fellow Republicans for having done so.

Of course, Johnson is in an unenviable position, as he sits atop a slim two-seat majority and seemingly has to wrestle more with his fellow Republicans than Democrats when it comes to getting anything done.

Ideally, we can appreciate the legitimate frustrations raised by members of the Freedom Caucus, especially over the federal government’s out-of-control spending problem. Realistically, however, the Republicans need a much bigger majority if they want to truly create significant changes.

But all is not doom and gloom. At least one good thing came out of this spending bill. Evidently, buried deep within its myriad pages was a Republican provision that effectively bans the flying of the rainbow pride flag at U.S. embassies and State Department buildings.

The provision in the legislation reads, “None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State.” The list of exceptions significantly does not include the pride flag.

Given that the Biden administration has repeatedly catered to the Rainbow Mafia — to the point of a White House lit up in rainbow colors and that garish transgender flag hung out front — it would appear the Republicans have finally snuck one past the Democrats.

Indeed, after learning of the provision that Biden just signed into law, the White House issued the following statement: “President Biden believes it was inappropriate to abuse the process that was essential to keep the government open by including this policy targeting LGBTQI+ Americans. While it will have no impact on the ability of members of the LGBTQI+ community to serve openly in our embassies or to celebrate pride, the administration fought against the inclusion of this policy and we will continue to work with members of Congress to find an opportunity to repeal it.”

Good luck repealing it anytime soon.

It was under Barack Obama that U.S. embassies first began flying the pride flag alongside the U.S. flag — albeit not in Muslim-majority countries. It was an intentionally provocative move to push an agenda of special rights. The Trump administration ended the practice, but the Biden administration, which seems little other than an even more radical third Obama term, reinstituted the morally offensive display.

The brilliance of this move by Republicans is that it is not something Biden and the Democrats can easily undo. It will take a vote in Congress, not merely an executive order from Biden.

Advocates for flying the rainbow banner assert that it is intended to promote gay rights as civil rights. Yet religious rights are civil rights, and U.S. embassies are not flying the Christian flag alongside Old Glory. Or how about a flag promoting the Second Amendment? Is that too a civil right? In other words, the justification is a hollow one, as the Stars and Stripes represent all of the civil rights Americans enjoy and much more. There is no need for another flag.