Earlier this week Guardian journalist Ed Pilkington caught a cavalier Sarah Palin affixing her signature to Old Glory and an Ayn Rand book within a few short moments (1:33 in the video embedded below). Apparently thats not so Kosher. Salon blogger Emma Mustich points out that signing the flag is a clear and direct violation of flag code, although its likely to be protected by a slew of free speech rulings (that Palin likely opposes) which have deemed flag-burning protected by the first amendment.
While Palins act of desecration in and of itself will not stir up liberal outrage, the hypocrisy here is staggering. How would Sarah Palin and her ilk react if it were Barack Obama casually affixing his own John Hancock on the stars and stripes? Surely the outrage and cries of traitor would have reached fever pitch by now.
Palins treatment of the flag with the same scrawl on it attitude that a rockstar has towards a concert program perfectly sums up her credo of wrapping herself in Betsy Ross handiwork she uses symbolic, shallow patriotism to shield herself and attack opponents.