U.S. Air Force allows rainbow-striped U.S. flag at Arizona base

Jessica Chasmar

2/5/2015

Source …..

Officials at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tuscon, Arizona, are allowing a rainbow-striped American flag to remain flying at someone’s home after an airman complained it violated Title 4 of the U.S. Code.

Writing for The Blaze, former Senior Airman Brian Kolfage said he was driving through the base when he saw an American flag with rainbow stripes instead of red and white stripes flying high on a two-story house.

Mr. Kolfage argued that the flag violates a section of Title 4 that states the American flag “shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be forty-eight stars, white in a blue field.”

“The flag I saw is a parody of the American Flag with 50 white stars in the union, smeared with the rainbow colors as the stripes. The moment the flag took on the union stars is where it becomes a violation, with my understanding of the U.S. Code,” he writes.

The 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office first told Mr. Kolfage that they were reviewing the issue, though no action had yet been taken.

“We take seriously our responsibility to abide by federal law and defend the Constitutional rights of all citizens,” the office said.

Three days later, Mr. Kolfage received the following message: “The installation commander carefully considered the opinions of legal professionals and the law. The display in question is not an altered U.S. flag; therefore, its display does not violate federal law. No action will be taken.”

Erin Ranaweera, a 355th Fighter Wing spokeswoman, issued an identical statement to The Washington Times.

But Mr. Kolfage isn’t taking the decision lightly. His article for The Blaze, published Thursday morning, had been shared more than 4,000 times by Thursday afternoon.

“I sure hope Airman around the globe read this, and bust out their flags whether they be a big Christian cross, Santa Claus, Gadsden, Medical Marijuana, Rebel, NASCAR, pink unicorns, or whatever they feel they represent,” he wrote. “Even if you’re for straight marriage go ahead and fly that flag if it’s what you truly believe.”

“And when the Air Force instructs you to take it down, refer them to this article and then contact me. I’ll personally ensure your rights are not infringed upon,” Mr. Kolfage wrote. “If you’re proud of your sexuality, then please represent it, but do not do it at the sake of insulting our nation’s flag. Please have some respect and go buy a regular Lesbain Gay Bisexual and Transgender pride flag.”