House Speaker Nancy Pelosi bestowed an encased folded American flag to the brother of George Floyd, who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last month.
“Congresswoman Pelosi presented Mr. Floyd an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol – a symbol of our shared commitment to securing justice for George & all victims of police violence,” Pelosi’s official website stated.
Pelosi presents folded flag to George Floyd's brother. I must be wrong. I thought they only did this for service men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice? pic.twitter.com/7CivuC1VBW
— Greg (@Im_bonafide) June 14, 2020
Folded American flags are traditionally presented by the U.S. government to families of fallen veterans during military funerals.
The National Cemetery Administration of the Veterans Affairs Department states the specific criteria necessary to receive a folded American flag.
From the VA website:
A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased Veteran who served honorably in the U. S. Armed Forces.
It is furnished to honor the memory of a Veteran’s military service to his or her country. VA will furnish a burial flag for memorialization for an other than dishonorably discharged:
1. Veteran who served during wartime
2. Veteran who died on active duty after May 27, 1941
3. Veteran who served after January 31, 1955
4. Peacetime Veteran who was discharged or released before June 27, 1950 after serving at least one enlistment, or for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty
5. Certain persons who served in the organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines while in service of the U.S. Armed Forces and who died on or after April 25, 1951
6. Certain former members of the Selected Reserves
Generally, the flag is given to the next-of-kin, as a keepsake, after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, VA will furnish the flag to a friend making request for it. For those VA national cemeteries with an Avenue of Flags, families of Veterans buried in these national cemeteries may donate the burial flags of their loved ones to be flown on patriotic holidays.
The family of a civilian drug addict who resisted arrest leading up to his death does not fall into the listed criteria of eligible recipients.
Many veterans on social media were insulted and outraged that Pelosi diminished the ultimate sacrifice of fallen soldiers by invoking a military tradition for the Democrats’ race-baiting pandering campaign.
Only families of fallen service men are supposed to get that. As a veteran I’m highly offended.
— Jeff Jones (@TheRealJonsie) June 14, 2020
Democrats embrace Antifa and BLM protests, riots and looting against the American Flag. Then Pelosi hands out a reserved flag they give servicemen who gave their life for America a great sacrifice.
— Boston Sports News (@BostonSprtsNews) June 14, 2020
This is an insult to all who served.
— Eric (@julaveeric) June 14, 2020
That offends me. He did not die in service to our country.
— Scott Reeves (@zygmoscott) June 14, 2020
That offends me. He did not die in service to our country as my Father did . pic.twitter.com/HZapM364DD
— ❌Paul Schmidt❌ (@pschmidt41) June 14, 2020
This is wrong. https://t.co/HkbW35Hgdt
— Code of Vets ™ (@codeofvets) June 15, 2020
Not only is it a folded flag,it is encased in a special box for it. The spouse or eldest child of US Military services are presented a US Flag during a funeral ceremony but they are they are not given a special box for it.
— Merkabah3 **DO NOT SHAKE HANDS**WASH HANDS** (@Merkabah31) June 15, 2020
I’m not a Vet, but I have friends who are who’ve said this tarnishes the meaning of the tradition and they feel disrespected by this.
— @carolinagirl63 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@carolinagirl63) June 15, 2020
This is very offensive
— James Bianchi (@JamesBianchi13) June 14, 2020
Seems a controversial gift to give given all those kneeling in disgust every time it’s raised now.
— loCk3d Up An de-Runk (& pissed) (@poli_gen) June 14, 2020
It’s curious Pelosi would choose to gift the American flag to Floyd given Democrats and the left openly denigrate the flag, such as the NFL National Anthem kneeling, and simply attacking people who carry the flag.
Its the 20th Veterans-call-in show at the War Room and Owen asks veterans and Chad Robichaux what they think about the Minneapolis riots.
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