The political and cultural left has seized on the fact that U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) attended a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in which a Confederate flag was one of hundreds of historical items on display.
In particular, Sullivan has been criticized for merely standing in the vicinity of the flag as it hung on a balcony along with dozens of other flags from America’s past.
The event, “America Comes Alive,” took place July 4–5 at Mountain City Church in Anchorage. For two days, the church hosted a family-friendly celebration of America, including educational displays encompassing more than 500 historical items spanning 400 years.
In additional to historical flags such as the Gadsden flag flown during the Revolutionary War, the early Betsy Ross flag of the 13 Colonies, the flag of the Grand Union and many others, the event included historical reenactments of the Revolutionary War and Civil War, a presentation by the Alaska Veterans Museum, Civil War stories told by a speaker, readings of the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, plus an antique car show.
The Confederate flag and history-altering events of the Civil War were included as part of this wider display of America’s past. The flag was not glorified or celebrated by Sullivan or anyone else.
In fact, all Sullivan did was appear at the event, recite the Declaration of Independence, and offer a few reflections on the principles of all people being created equal and fundamental rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He even emphasized the need for Americans to remain steadfast in protecting these rights in the years ahead.
As he spoke, Sullivan stood directly above the U.S. flag. The Confederate flag was off to his left with others.
Nevertheless, this was reason enough for MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) to insinuate that Sullivan somehow approved of the Confederate cause. The article concluded by attempting to suggest that the organizers were bigots by mentioning that the conservative church opposes the LGBTQ political and cultural agenda.
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It didn’t take long for Alaska’s Democrat Party to pounce on the story and try to use it as political ammunition. On July 21, the party published a post on its website, emphasizing that Sullivan stood near the flag in a church that opposes bans on counselors who want to help gender-confused children overcome unwanted same-sex attraction.
Of course, the Alaska Democrats didn’t use those words, but framed Mountain City as a church that has “espoused extreme anti-LGBTQ views, including pushing to overturn a ban on conversion therapy.”
The fact of the matter is that many historical societies, military museums and preservation groups routinely display Confederate flags, along with other historic banners, in an effort to educate the public about America’s past – both the good and the bad. These displays emphasize historical realities and are not intended to project contemporary political beliefs or endorsements.
Prominent museums such as the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the American Civil War Museum all include displays of the Confederate flag.
It appears that MS NOW and the Alaska Democratic Party are either advocating the complete whitewashing of the Confederate flag from all historical displays and museums or they are using the fact that Sullivan stood near the flag as an excuse to score political points through veiled insinuations.
What’s clear, however, is that Sullivan never celebrated the Confederate flag, did not even mention it in his talk, and had nothing to do with including the flag in the exhibit.
Sullivan’s campaign told MS NOW that its article was a “dishonest hit piece”. It noted that the senator has “spent his life honoring the men and women who fought and died defending the United States and securing the freedoms all Americans enjoy today, including MS NOW’s freedom to manufacture dishonest hit pieces in an attempt to smear a Marine’s character.”
