On Flag Day, an American social media user referred to Justice Samuel Alito‘s wife as a traitor for reportedly displaying an upside-down banner at their home in 2020.
One commentator on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote, “Yeah, true Americans will fly their flags the right way. Traitors will fly them upside down.”
Flag Day was established to celebrate the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. President Harry Truman later designated June 14th as National Flag Day in 1949, solidifying its place in American tradition.
Martha-Ann Alito, Justice Alito’s wife, faced criticism on social media following a report in the Washington Post.
An upside-down flag, which some Trump supporters used in 2021 to contest the election results, was spotted at the Alito’s property in Virginia on January 17th, 2021. Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia, compared it to displaying a “Stop the Steal” sign.
Justice Alito explained to the New York Times that his wife briefly flew the flag upside-down in response to offensive language from a neighbor’s yard signs.
Social media users reacted to the news of the upside-down flag, with some expressing their views humorously.
Tom Hearden joked, “Good morning and happy Flag Day to all but the Alito families.” Eric Rosen added, “Happy Flag Day everyone but Samuel and Martha Ann Alito.”
Others speculated about what Alito’s wife might fly on Flag Day.
Mark Knoller, a former White House Correspondent for CBS News, hoped, “This Flag Day will be right side up.”