Throughout the past week, I have discovered interesting information about the Alitos and their use of flags to convey messages. It appears that the Alitos have flag poles at their residences, but the exact messages they are sending remain a mystery.
At their home in Virginia, Mrs. Alito raised a flag upside down during a neighborhood dispute. While some speculated about hidden meanings related to political events, it is more plausible that she was simply signaling distress to her neighbors.
Last summer at their New Jersey home, the Alitos flew an “Appeal to Heaven” flag, which has historical roots dating back to George Washington’s Continental Army in 1775.
The New York Times suggests that the flag may symbolize support for former President Donald J. Trump, a religious aspect of the ‘Stop the Steal’ movement, and a desire to reshape American government in Christian terms. While these interpretations are speculative, they have gained traction in news coverage and political discourse.
It is possible that the Alitos intended to convey a message related to religion with the flag, although the specific message remains unclear. The focus on Justice Alito’s potential recusal from Trump-related cases overlooks the broader question of whether he should recuse from cases involving Free Exercise and Establishment Clause issues if he is endorsing a form of Christian nationalism.
Justice Alito’s public attendance at mass and speeches advocating for religious liberty further support the idea that he may have strong beliefs in this area. Rather than analyzing cryptic symbols, his overt statements and actions provide more insight into his views.
Comparisons can be drawn to Justice Ginsburg, who presided over a same-sex wedding in 2013 and later participated in a Supreme Court decision affirming the right to same-sex marriage. Despite her public actions and statements, she did not recuse herself from relevant cases. This raises questions about the consistency of recusal standards in the judiciary.
As noted in the Times article, the Alitos’ flagpole currently stands empty, leaving room for speculation about their beliefs and intentions.
