Eric Burlison wants you to believe that there is nothing sinister about him, Mike Johnson, Samuel Alito, or the violent insurrectionists of Jan. 6 flying the “An Appeal to Heaven” flag. He touts the history of the flag, which yes, does have roots back to General Washington and the Colonies fighting for independence from Britain. However, Burlison is literally throwing shade on the fact that he is flying this flag not because he is a history buff but because he supports the insurrectionists of Jan. 6. He does not believe that President Biden won the 2020 election. He will not accept the results of the 2024 election unless Donald Trump wins.

Burlison ironically quotes philosopher John Locke, commonly known as the Father of Liberalism, in having inspired the flag because the people needed to call out to a higher power when they were “… under the Exercise of a power without right,” when the colonists weren’t allowed to cut down the pine trees under order of the King. In Burlison’s eyes our fight for independence from England is equivocal to his guy not winning an election and throwing a tantrum (insurrection) rather than proceeding with the peaceful transition of power.

History changes the meaning, the context, of our symbols. In today’s society this can be parallel to a tornado uprooting trees and homes and completely changing the landscape. What was once a symbol of defiance against a king has been corrupted as a symbol of violence, much like the swastika was once a symbol for peace and good before having been appropriated by the Nazi party.

It is Memorial Day weekend as I write this and we should be honoring those women and men in uniform who have sacrificed their lives protecting and serving our nation. As happens over time though, traditions form and change around holidays. Many of us will be getting together with family and friends, having cookouts, working in our yards, recreating at our parks and lakes. The Congressman from the MO-7, will be spending his time celebrating his partisan rankings and willful refusal to bring anything back to his district to make positive impacts for the people he was elected to represent, wrapping himself in a flag that is being currently displayed in support of white Christian nationalism and far, far right ideologies.

The people of southwest Missouri deserve so much better. We can appeal to heaven to bring sanity and rational, productive behavior back into the government or we can appeal to the electorate, educate them on the ill-representation being given to the folks in SWMO (because many are too busy trying to merely get by in life, due in part to some of Burlison’s votes), and get them to the polls in record numbers this November.

We deserve a representative who will work to make life better for everyone in SWMO.

Missi Hesketh is a Democratic candidate running in Missouri’s 7th Congressional District.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: ‘An Appeal to Heaven’ flag has a different meaning today