Last night was Gerry Connolly's annual St. Patrick's Day Party. Attended by hundreds of supporters, this is one of the largest Democratic events in the state each year. In the last few years the event has also featured straw polls for statewide Democratic primaries and is a good indicator of Northern Virginia support and organization level.
But my phone was ringing off the hook last night as people left the event. Connolly's decorations included an Irish flag on the podium, with a large shamrock on top of it. The only problem---- it was not an Irish flag. Connolly actually had an Indian flag hanging sideways with the shamrock covering up the wheel in the middle of the Indian flag.
Take a look here at a real Irish flag, versus an Indian one- the colors are similar, but they are not in the same direction- making it easy to see the difference even without the other obvious difference of the Indian wheel on the flag.
Who might notice this? Ironically, one of the candidates in the straw poll was Aneesh Chopra- a candidate for Lt. Governor of Virginia- who brought over 100 members of the Indian-American community out to the event last night to support his efforts. Those Indian-Americans were abuzz about this flag issue.
Culturally it is important to remember that India has some of the strictest flag laws in the world. Placing a shamrock over the wheel, hanging the flag sideways and using the flag as drapery are all violations of Indian Law, punishable by 3 years in India prison for each offense.
What makes this even worse is Connolly is a member of the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee on the House Foreign Affairs committee.
This isn't the first time Connolly has had flag issues. In 2006 a national fashion magazine named him "worst dressed on the 4th of July" for his shirt that I had described as a "flag throwing up". But now it's more than just Old Glory being dissed.
Look- it is understandable that a staffer may have purchased the wrong flag- although it isn't that hard to find an Irish flag around St. Patrick's Day. But whoever saw the wrong flag and decided to deface it with a Shamrock over the Indian wheel and hang it sideways made a very bad decision. Many members of the Indian community who were in attendance noticed this and were offended. Hopefully the Indian government will accept a Connolly apology so he can travel there again and next year the staff can find a real flag from Ireland to use for decorations at their party.
Not to mention that the Catholic Irish themselves would be furious to find the Protestant Orange first on the Irish flag!
Posted by: Gretchenmlaskas | March 18, 2013 at 12:24 PM
I'm Indian-American, I couldn't make it to this event, but I would love to know who was truly offended. Besides it being petty on its face for anyone who is a U.S. citizen and voting here to complain about an Indian flag's display not comporting with Indian law, it should feel flattering to see that flag there at all if national origin is emotionally significant to someone. Further, it's hyperbolic to complain teh flag was somehow defaced by how it was hung or by a Shamrock in the middle at what is supposed to be really an Irish heritage event.
My daughter's elementary school had the Indian flag along with scores of others hung sideways on the wall at an "international night" social event just a month or so ago, and there's no word that anyone took offense in a school that has a fair number of Indian families.
I have a hard time seeing any serious offense here. This is trivial.
Posted by: DCCyclone | March 18, 2013 at 02:19 PM
DCCycllone, are you really an Indian immigrant? Hard to believe you could be this ignorant if you are. Many of us who are American can maintain our loyalty to India as well without you questioning it. I'm sure most Americans would not appreciate a county with red and white stripes on their flag using an american flag and pasting an object over the stars in the corner to cover them up. I question your claimed heritage. Many people have died under that flag, family members of mine (and yours if you are true) so of course we are offended when the flag is defaced. I really found your comment offensive and ask you to apologize.
Posted by: NotaPak | March 18, 2013 at 06:46 PM
Larry Sabato, I am trying to comment here but it is not showing up. What do I need to do?
Posted by: NotaPak | March 18, 2013 at 06:48 PM
I seee my comment now. thank you.
Posted by: NotaPak | March 18, 2013 at 06:51 PM
Not A Pak-
Please do not use a screen name like that here. I believe Pak is a slur in some places, and you may mean it as one. Thanks.
Posted by: Bentrib | March 18, 2013 at 08:11 PM
Maybe Pat Herrity will donate an Irish flag to Gerry.
Posted by: JimLeMunyon | March 19, 2013 at 06:48 AM
Ben,
On top of the controversy over the use of the Indian flag, what about the flag that they still didn't put it up in the right direction to even pretend that it was the Irish flag?
Look at the picture. From left to right the colors are orange, white, and green.
Look at the Irish Flag (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ireland) from left to right the colors are green, white, and orange.
Let's summarize. Some incompetent Connolly staffer (or is that redundant?) couldn't find an Irish flag on St. Patrick's Day, and decided to use an Indian flag, covering up the center with a shamrock. And to add insult to injury, they still couldn't even hang the flag in the right orientation to make it pretend to be an Irish flag.
Posted by: VirginiaLib | March 19, 2013 at 09:41 AM
OMG. Seriously? You think someone bought an Indian flag and covered it up with a shamrock????? You've got to be kidding me! This is one of those kitchy banners you can buy at Hallmark or at a party store to use as a St Patty's Day decoration. If you notice at the bottom of the banner, there are also shamrocks so it is not even a perfect rectangle. This is not a flag at all, but a banner decoration.
Ben, please.
Posted by: Christopher Schaffer | March 19, 2013 at 03:41 PM
Chris, since you say this is easily purchased at Hallmark or a Party Store, can you point me to a link of such an item for sale? I doubt they would sell a backwards Irish flag with rectangles going the wrong way and shamrocks on them- but would be happy to be proven wrong if you can provide evidence. As Gretchen said above, there are reasons a manufacturer would be unlikely to produce such a product besides its closeness to an Indian flag, so I'm not ready to buy this.
Posted by: notlarrysabato | March 19, 2013 at 03:54 PM
I saw some soldiers in uniform the other day where the US flag was backwards on their arm patch. Imagine that ;-)
I didn't notice it as an Indian flag. Did someone go up and remove the shamrock and confirm it? Or is this example #273 where Ben grinds his ax against Gerry Connolly?
Posted by: notjohnsmosby | March 19, 2013 at 05:51 PM
You can rest assured I'm not giving any kind of apology to a troll with a racist username. That's not happening, now or ever.
Posted by: DCCyclone | March 20, 2013 at 09:06 PM
Ben, Gerry has been using this yard banner decoration for years, so it's been discontinued by now. Instead of the defense having to prove its innocence, why not have your sources come forward publicly as i have? I would love to call them liars to their face.
And your comment about a "backwards" flag boggles my mind. ALL flags are reversible can be flown backwards. This banner is identical on both sides (but with the background colors reversed, obviously).
Posted by: Christopher Schaffer | March 21, 2013 at 02:16 AM