In the United States, the quality of life has decreased for several years. Culturally, a cold cultural conflict has been raging in America’s schools and cultural institutions as progressives and conservatives clash with one another. Back in the domestic sphere, in schools across the nation a cultural battle continues to rage, pitting patriotic, traditional families who cherish their rights to parental authority over their children and free speech against progressive educators and public officials who seek to limit them. In one school in Colorado, a middle school student was told he would not be allowed to display the Gadsden Flag on his backpack, as it was a symbol of “racism”.
In an appalling disregard for the American revolution and the founding history of the United States, school officials claimed that the flag had its origins in the “slave trade”. This could not be further from the truth. The flag was designed at the start of the conflict as a symbol against British tyranny, displaying the words “Don’t Tread on Me”- a direct message geared towards the crown which infringed on the liberties of the American colonists. The snake was adopted in correlation with an earlier piece of art created by Benjamin Franklin during the French and Indian war. That piece, which displayed a cut up snake featuring the initials of the American colonies above the words “Join or Die”, was used by Franklin to unify colonial support for the colonial conflict against France. Thankfully, following a statement from the governor of Colorado and threats of a first amendment lawsuit, the school reversed, and will allow the student to wear the flag.
Censorship in academia continues, and students aren’t the only targets. One conservative law professor form the University of Pennsylvania named Amy Wax has been openly targeted by school officials who attempted to decrease her salary and suspend her due to her openly conservative views. Free speech is at risk.
