Supreme Court Justice Alito's Beach House Displayed 'Appeal to Heaven' Flag - The New York Times
By: Jodi Kantor, Aric Toler and Julie Tate (nytimes)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The justice's beach house displayed an "Appeal to Heaven" flag, a symbol carried on Jan. 6 and associated with a push for a more Christian-minded government.
The "Appeal to Heaven" flag flew outside the Alitos' New Jersey vacation home last summer, along with a "2022" Phillies flag and a Long Beach Island flag.Credit...
Last summer, two years after an upside-down American flag was flown outside the Virginia home of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., another provocative symbol was displayed at his vacation house in New Jersey, according to interviews and photographs.
This time, it was the "Appeal to Heaven" flag, which, like the inverted U.S. flag, was carried by rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Also known as the Pine Tree flag, it dates back to the Revolutionary War, but largely fell into obscurity until recent years and is now a symbol of support for former President Donald J. Trump, for a religious strand of the "Stop the Steal" campaign and for a push to remake American government in Christian terms.
Three photographs obtained by The New York Times, along with accounts from a half-dozen neighbors and passers-by, show that the Appeal to Heaven flag was aloft at the Alito home on Long Beach Island in July and September of 2023. A Google street view image from late August also shows the flag.
The photographs, each taken independently, are from four different dates. It is not clear whether the flag was displayed continuously during those months or how long it was flown overall.
ImageA Google street view photo taken in August 2023 shows the flag flying at the Alitos' house.
Justice Alito declined to respond to questions about the beach house flag, including what it was intended to convey and how it comported with his obligations as a justice. The court also declined to respond.
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Can the swastika be far behind ?
curios to seethe "know big deal here crowds take on this one, cause they don'\t"
Seems Alito can tell an entire nations' women what to do with their bodies yet can't tell his wife to taker down an inappropriate flag, hanging like black effigy in a tree, in their front yard.
Interesting takes from what amounts, asz fakes, cause there is NO place for either of these flags being flown in front of residences of a SCOTUS Judge. Period !
We'll probably hear that Biden mispronounced a word today.
When did he do that?
Progressive hysteria is making it impossible to overstate how much many progressives hate the very idea of America. It's self loathing all the way down.
Thinking there's an equivalence between the Nazi flag and a flag designed by the father of our country, George Washington, sums up so much of modern leftwing ideology
Some folks just insist on overdramatizing trivial things to make a alleged point. This is Justice Alito's personal residence and a flag with three simple words being "Appeal to Heaven" seems pretty mild. BIG freaking deal! It is justice Alito's right to fly that flag under the 1st Ammendment, or does said Ammendment only apply to the hard core progressive leftist liberal Democrats to decide. Seems that way more and more recently. Glad to know I could fly a flag like that if I chose to in my neck of the Southeast Arizona desert and no one would bother about it.
There is no place for either of these flags on a Supreme Court Justices' residence, as you have downplayed their significance dramatically, especially after both flags were blatantly displayed by the January 6th insurrectionists/rioters that stormed our Capitol on January 6th 2021. Many of these rioters have been found guilty and sentenced to prison. The displaying of these flags suggests, correctly or not, sympathy and or solidarity, with individuals that tried to put the WRONG candidate in the White House. Or is it that you believe these are just two coincidental occurrences and somehow just randomly happened, for the only logical conclusion that i can conclude, is that they are certainly related, and a Supreme Court Justice is supposed to be non political and not show bias/ This individual has shown signs that he is supportive of those who would attempt to overthrow our duly elected government, and I, as well as many, have a serious problem overlooking this fact.
You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. Have a good day.
But it is OK for a judge to be a Biden donor; and a daughter whose company gets paid to make propaganda for Democrats.
The shear hypocrisy of leftists burns.
Also, leftists near to learn history it appears.
If you have to ask why it is making a resurgence now- you haven't been paying attention to the Biden administration over reach of power; and the abuse of our legal system by Democrats to go after their main political opponent for the 2024 general election for Presidency.
That is an advertising pitch for the sale of these flags, by a company that makes them.
. The Meaning Behind an Appeal to Heaven Flag (americanflags.com)
Christian nationalism is the opposite of separation of church and state, which Alito is supposed to be upholding.
followed by Republicans and Christians,
What, porn star bangin cheatin 3 wived B hived whorenets nests make the best, tax avoiding 'billionaires' without cares for the average Joe, bidden his time, as he pillages charities and LIES about his worthless asz he sells to the highest bidder, cause no kidder, if that doesn't represent Christians and the modern day GOP, what possibly could? Cause Judging buy these Supreme clowns, who've attempted to insert their two nonsense in between a woman and her legs, one seems to want to ask, asz the question begs, what Alito shuffle can escape and muffle a juror so impure or is he just another Christian whore for the 'right' to adore ?
There needs to be mandatory recuse to rescue the court from itself, cause between Clarence and his demand for Ginny and her wealth to stop the steal, and Mrs. Alito and her Flags gone wild, shouldn't that control of women start , like charity, at home, of the formerly brave and free, cause this is fckd up, if you ask me
LOL!
Hilarious, coming from a Trumper.
What specific instance can you give to show this judge was biased ? He has tripped over himself attempting to keep from having Trump jailed. Oh what a martyr Trump ISN'T.
The judges daughter has NOTHING to do with this. Trump is the one who without ANY EVIDENCE, AS USUAL, attempts to continue to portray himself as the VICTIM. Ridiculous, as he flagrantly breaks the law daily and has done this his entire life. The man is literally a POS without morals, ethics, or empathy, cause you see, it is ALL ABOUT HE ! And he is a complete LYING EMBARRASSMENT to US ALL, and for those too blinded by the CULT MENTALITY, our collective pity, cause he is the guy who steals from his own charities, wants hookers and porn stars on their knees, while third wife is home hoping to not get fleas, as she cares for his newborn, he's out with stars porn, or having a not fair affair with another of his playmates, the ones he sexually assaults as he claims they let em grab em buy the pussy, that he averages $135,000.00 per, from the guy who brought you t\The Art of the Deal, cause that's a lotta dough to make one fake squeal, as he just makes US politix look damn unreal, since he ventured into the fray, as he should have been cast away, but I guess the witch hunt kept finding the cunnilingual mute, who as a scumbag, there be no refute, and dragging him back in, or perhaps he rightly believes the only way he stays a free man is to again dupe America into electing his fat lying gas filled ass, for sane Americans, we'll pass !
This 'judge' is complicit, just like ginni, I mean clarence, regarding 1/6, and should recuse their corrupt scummy asses, but we know that won't happen.
It appears this flag is pretty popular....
Hot Take: 'Appeal to Heaven' Flag is Timothy McVeigh-Level Extreme and SCOTUS Is a Terrorist Org – Twitchy
It is popular among scumbags
This just confirms what we already know. Alito is a right wing reactionary Christian nationalist extremist.
JFC
Religion poisons everything.
It's time to realize that Samuel Alito is an extremist.
It's May, which means the Supreme Court term is coming to an end and that means its time for annual left wing campaign to destroy it and the Constitution. Like clockwork, left wing media riles up the lemmings to discredit the Court in advance of rulings it doesn't like. Year after year, the play is the same.
with your statements, one might infer your implying you are okay, with religious beliefs being intertwined in our Constitution, that clearly stated there needed to be a separation between church and state.
If misread, please state what you mean, cause it is not clear, at least what is heard from my ear
I'm okay with Americans flying a flag commissioned by George Washington and referencing John Locke.
Is the Declaration of Independence offensive to you, too?
I’m surprised the left hasn’t attacked Alito for flying an American flag yet, there were a lot more of those present on Jan 6th.
Is it your opinion that is pure coincidence that Alito flew two distinct flags that were flown by the J 6 insurrectionists?
He must be catching a bad break.
LOL.
I wouldnt have took you for that naive.
Is there a list of historical American flags that liberal progressives will allow Americans to fly? Destroy statutes, ban flags. Any thing that displays pride in our countries past must be banned, huh?
What about cars? Do you know what kind of cars j6ers drove so alito can be attacked for that?
Give them time. Seems that some may be working their way up to it!
Your comments about this are ridiculous.
If some sort of car had a specific meaning within a specific context then the car might very well indicate something worrying.
Alito did not display just one insurrectionist symbol, which might be an "accident". He displayed two, which is not a coincidence no matter what you say.
The way the line keeps moving do you have a list of these insurrectionist symbols? or is that list dependent on whatever some butthurt liberal in the media think it is this week?
what nonsense
Your statement was crystal clear for those who are willing to listen.
So there is no list and we are going to be subjected to poutrage by liberal morons in media for the foreseeable future.
They would be out of a job if they didn't.
Did he throw his wife under the bus for both instances?
The endless defense of the indefensible is endless
This explains the otherwise baffling hysteria over a historic flag connected to our country's founding:
www.rollingstone.com /politics/politics-news/justice-alito-christian-nationalist-battle-flag-vacation-home-1235025962/
A Christian Nationalist Battle Flag Flew at Justice Alito’s Vacation Home
Sam Alito — the arch conservative Supreme Court justice — now has two flag controversies to explain, and another striking reason to doubt his impartiality in cases involving Donald Trump and the Jan. 6 defendants.
Alito has already been in the news for an upside-down American flag that flew at his primary residence during the period surrounding Jan. 6, 2021. Alito has blamed the placement of that flag — which is typically only to be flown to signify national distress, including when the government has fallen — on his wife Martha-Ann. He characterized her action as the result of a heated dispute with neighbors over a coarse anti-Trump political yard sign.
But now the New York Times is reporting that an even more provocative flag was seen flying at the Alito’s vacation home on the New Jersey Shore last year. The Alito home on Long Beach Island was photographed flying the “ Appeal to Heaven ” flag, also known as the Pine Tree Flag, during the summer months of 2023.
That flag was originally flown during the American Revolution. It carries a quote from the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke, who argued that when a just people are faced with injustice in the political realm, and have exhausted all avenues for redress, that they can move to violence — and God will judge the righteousness of their action. “Where there lies no appeal on Earth,” the philosopher wrote, “they have just cause to make their appeal to heaven.”
This flag was laregly a relic of history until it was revived by a far-right religious leader named Dutch Sheets , who has transformed the flag into a banner for Christian nationalists. The pine tree on the flag was originally a symbol of protest for British exploitation of the colonies; the monarchy exported the tallest and truest pine trees from New England for the masts on British navy ships. But in Sheets’ appropriation, the tree now is said to symbolize God’s covenant with Abraham — and with America as a supposedly divinely chartered nation.
The Appeal to Heaven flag is now associated with a militant arm of Christian nationalism. It waved as a battle flag by many of the Jan. 6 insurgents, who stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021 seeking to keep Donald Trump in office and prevent the peaceful transfer of power to President Joe Biden.
The flag has continued to be displayed by the kinds of religious-right politicians who baselessly cast doubt on the legitimacy of the outcome of the 2020 election, including by failed Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, as well as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), as Rolling Stone reported last November.
The symbolism of the flag is no longer oblique. It is a potent symbol for American zealots who breed distrust in American democracy and seek a vast expansion of religion in public life. The notion that a sitting Supreme Court justice would have this flag waving, unabashedly, above his home casts doubt on his impartiality in significant matters before the court, including cases involving Jan. 6 defendants, and the questions about whether Donald Trump can be prosecuted for allegedly criminal acts he undertook as president.
Alito did not answer the New York Times ‘ questions about what message was intended to be sent by the flying of the banner above his home. The paper published photographs of the flag taken by neighbors, as well as a Google Street View image of the justice’s home that captured the flag. It is no longer flying above the Jersey Shore home.
lol..flag wasn’t a problem in 2020
You dont have much to work with here, but you soldier on.
[✘]
The only screeching going on here is not coming from me.
That could be considered debatable.
John is correct, as usual.
The projection, deflection, and denial along with the endless defense of the indefensible by some is unfuckingbelievable
This isn't even religion - it's pure evil IMHO
As the important process of forming policy no longer seems to matter, the public emphasis is now focused on such specious non-issues like crowd size and flags.
It is now all about the optics. Wasted time, wasted words, and wasted energy when we should all be more concerned with potentially wasting away our birthright.
Just my sure to be castigated opinion, as the optics don’t align.
Story A: NIH officials caught deleting emails about covid origin, admitting "did (delete all of Peter's emails and others relating to origin) when the shit started hitting the fan...The best way to avoid FOIA hassles is to delete all emails when you learn a subject is getting sensitive."
Story B: Flag commissioned by George Washington flown outside home.
Guess which one progressives think is a big deal?
Re: story 1: Covid was a novel virus impacting every country on earth, yet in conspiratorial fashion you relentlessly try to pin blame for the origin and any possible fault on the US and its government institutions. Notice how every other covid impacted country on earth is not hell bent on fingering the US for their losses? It’s just you and your band of US hating traitors engaging in that.
Story 2 is unique to this country, and how you have described it is unsurprisingly void of the most pertinent information. If any liberal justice did that shit you would be on it like stink on shit.
Covid was a novel virus impacting every country on earth, yet in conspiratorial fashion you relentlessly try to pin blame for the origin and any possible fault on the US and its government institutions.
Lol. Usually I'm accused of xenophobic attacks on china because I criticize the CCP. Now, apparently, I hate America because I don't think government officials should delete emails to avoid oversight.
So now we know obstruction of justice and evidence destruction by government officials is not an issue with you. You like being lied to, I guess. Or is it just when you perceive it's "your team" doing the cover up its okay?
If any liberal justice did that shit you would be on it like stink on shit.
I promise you if any liberal justice in any way made public their belief that the American revolution and founding of the country was a good thing I'd happily support them.
If you want to believe a story about a flag from last year is more important than government officials being caught exchanging emails about how to delete official emails about the origins of a virus that killed millions of people, there's not I can say. In my world, government officials plotting to prevent anyone from trying to figure out how millions of people were killed is more important than a flag, but that's me
You think some deleted emails are the proof to your conspiratorial pudding that places US government institutions at the center of the global covid catastrophe. This is Hillary’s email 2.0 for you guys.
Get that strawman!
I think it's incredibly wrong and possibly criminal, for government officials to delete emails to avoid oversight, particularly when it involves the biggest catastrophe of the century. That you don't speak volumes.
I didn't expect to have to argue against government officials destroying evidence to avoid oversight, but here we are. The left has come a long way since they were all in on government sunshine laws and transparency a few decades ago. Pretty much done a 180 in favor of authoritarianism since then.
Face it Sean, your ilk latches on to anything with a whiff of impropriety and immediate attach the worst narrative to it, particularly if it can’t be proven. Then you play the whataboutism game when anyone calls you out on it, pretending that a Supreme Court justice flying a flag that is clearly symbolic of current christian nationalism was merely alluding to some random colonial British imperialist policy of taking America’s best pine trees for their naval use. The gaslighting from you guys is nauseating.
Do you not see the irony in making that claim in this seed?
Other than that, thank you for making my point more explicitly than I originally did. Given numerous chances you cant even pretend to care about government officials destroying evidence to avoid oversight. Progressives prefer to obsess over who is flying which american flag and what conspiracies they can further than actual admissions of wrongdoing by government officials.
I am both gradually and all at once losing faith that America has a bright future. We have entire generations now who believe in conspiracy theories, who believe far right, often extremely dishonest, media, and we have a mainstream media that mostly cares about keeping its profits up and maintaining "fairness" towards the worst people in our public life.
A few more years of all this and America will be in free fall.
[removed] [.] [✘] Alito has now TWICE flown flags associated with Jan 6th insurrectionists and in the second case Christian nationalism.
This issue is not "nothing". It is not a coincidence he did it twice, it is what he believes and advocates.
The issue is nothing except to the butthurt left media, what those stupid fuckers are too stupid to realize that they are doing nothing but pissing off a Supreme Court justice.
If Justice Jackson flew a Black Lives Matter flag in front of her house, or a Black Panther flag, and when the right wing media complained about it, which would take about 5 seconds, would you say then that right wing media was nothing but butt hurt ?
Yes, the Justice doesn’t give up their rights just because they are now Supreme Court justices.
How about these clowns follow the same rules as ALL other Justicces and employees of the judicial system must follow, instead of having to answer to NO ONE, like ole Coke Can Clarence taking half million dollar vacations with persons who could benefit greatly, either monetarily or via fundamental causes they wish implemented on US citizens ( Say Abortion), cause the defense of their blatant abuse is pathetic. Again, wasn't Alito that was asking the really stupid questions of Trumps attorneys in regards to total immunity ? Thomas and Alito should be forced reclused on any January 6th matters and on any matters Trump related, but they'll just continue to do as they please, and you, as well as all, should have a problem with that !
For starters, what's the difference between an American flag and a BLM or Black Panther flag?
thank you for making my point more explicitly than I originally did.
I guess you’re referring to this?:
your ilk latches on to anything with a whiff of impropriety and immediate attach the worst narrative to it, particularly if it can’t be proven.
Jeez, here I thought I said something you would take issue with, and you thank me for stating your position in plainer English than you could. You’re welcome … I guess? How fucked up is your group of traitors that you would lead a charge to convince the world that your government is responsible for a global pandemic when the rest of the world isn’t even considering that lunacy.
No, This is ironic because you are literally doing what you accuse my ilk of doing, namely "latches on to anything with a whiff of impropriety and immediate attach the worst narrative to it, particularly if it can’t be proven." You have taken the flying of a flag commissioned by George Washington and used it to fuel some sort of nonsensical conspiracy theory.
My point is that progressives do care more about a flag commissioned by George Washington being flown than government officials destroying evidence to avoid oversight. you've now posted how many times proving that?
w fucked up is your group of traitors that you would lead a charge to convince the world that your government is responsible for a global pandemic when the rest of the world isn’t even cons
what are you talking about? . I understand defending sacred progressive narratives against reality overwhelms everything else, but ignore your fervent wish to avoid knowing the truth about covid for a moment.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS deleting emails about any important issue to avoid oversight is an actual problem that everyone should be bothered by. Why are you okay with being lied to?
was George Washington in favor of an insurrection to prevent the peaceful transfer of power ?
If the Appeal To Heaven is an American flag, why wouldnt a Black Lives Matter flag be also ?
[✘]
Which American Armed Forces adopted the BLM flag?
Heres who adopted the flag you like
So you think anyone who waives the current American flag is a j6er too? There were a lot more of those than the pine tree flags.
the idea that a handful of people in a crowd dictate what a flag means for everyone else is rampant silliness.
That is from a website that makes and sells these flags. Take your gaslighting to someone else.
Did he blame the one on the Jersey shore on his wife also, throw her under the bus, again?
Nope, just the ongoing and endless defense of the indefensible by the cult of the former 'president'
The City of San Francisco flew the flag in 2023. Why didn't Biden invade San Francisco and stop the rebellion of "christian nationalists?"
Some on the hard core liberal left refuse to accept that flying said flag on private property boils down to plain old 1st amendment rights as guaranteed under the US Constitution said leftists believe they should have sole control over what qualifies. Pathetic!
Or any religious views they have every right to have.
Speaking of Black Lives Matter, and this flag....
Hot Take: 'Appeal to Heaven' Flag is Timothy McVeigh-Level Extreme and SCOTUS Is a Terrorist Org – Twitchy
The 'city' of San Francisco flew the flag in 2023?
How does a city do that?????????????????????
It's already a part of the USA?
It flew the insurrection flag. San francisco was obviously in rebellion. Don't you pay attention to the latest moral panics on the left?
From a flagpole on top city hall.
Charlie Cooke summed up my thoughts:
[deleted][✘]
that's all the national review has to offer, like any other rwnj site
isnt charlie cooke supposed to be a right wing intellectual?
so much for that pipedream
I don't think so
Kind of an oxymoron there.
So are the left wing media incompetent? Just fucking lazy? Or is this just propaganda to influence the low functioning?
Is anyone stupid enough to believe that they just figured out this happening from more than 3 years ago?
How about all of the above?
The "Appeal to Heaven" flag flew outside the Alitos' New Jersey vacation home last summer, along with a "2022" Phillies flag and a Long Beach Island flag.
Alito needs to step down immediately. Anyone that flies a Phillies flag should not be allowed to serve in any capacity.