The GOP wanted to teach Seth Moulton about respecting the flag. But he had a lesson for them, too.
"Next time, show some respect."
Congressman Seth Moulton was among the Democrats who got a patriotic gift from the GOP this week as Republicans sought to teach a few lessons across the aisle about respecting the American flag.
The Republican National Committee sent Old Glory with a copy of “The Flag Code” to dozens of lawmakers on the left, accusing them of not showing “the proper respect and handling” of the flag following incidents where it was desecrated in recent weeks, party officials said.
In Colorado, for instance, protesters at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center replaced an American flag with the Mexican flag earlier this month, drawing backlash from Republicans.
In a letter to Moulton, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wrote, “Democrats refused to condemn the disgusting act.”
“The American flag is a powerful symbol of freedom and independence that many have died to protect,” McDaniel wrote. “It deserves to be treated as such.”
But it appears the GOP may have another lesson to learn about flag respect, according to the Salem Democrat.
On Twitter Thursday, Moulton, a Marine veteran, thanked the Republican Party for his new stars and stripes, but shot back with some advice of his own.
“Next time, show some respect and fold it properly,” he wrote in a tweet, which included a photo of the flag folded in a rectangle instead of the traditional triangle.
Hey, @GOP thank you for mailing me the flag and a copy of the flag code.
Next time, show some respect and fold it properly. pic.twitter.com/7r2vp3fZ84
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) July 25, 2019
The flag receives its triangular shape through a 13-step folding process, in which each fold has a specific meaning.
However, “The Flag Code,” which outlines how the flag should be cared for, displayed, handled, and retired, does not include a preferred folded form for the flag. It states only that the flag should never be stored “in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.”
Responding to Moulton’s criticism, the GOP put the blame on Democrats.
“You may want to call your office then, Congressman,” the party said in a tweet to Moulton. “We bought it from the House of Representatives.”
