It seems that the three newly elected members of the Sparta Township Council are determined to play a dangerous game of identity politics with the American flag.
They have introduced a new flag ordinance that would give them the power to decide which flags can be flown on township flagpoles and on municipal properties, including playgrounds and parks.
This raises serious concerns about the direction our town is headed and whether we are in danger of losing sight of the values that make us all proud Americans.
To date, the United States flag, the New Jersey flag and the POW-MIA flag are the only flags that have been flown on township-owned poles. These flags already represent the inclusivity of all Sparta residents as United States citizens, residents of New Jersey and citizens of our town.
The addition of any other flag may include some in the name of “all inclusiveness,” but it will not include all.
Councilwoman Christine Quinn and Councilman Josh Hertzberg have expressed their concerns about this ordinance and for good reason. They are rightfully questioning the reasoning behind this move and asking whether it is in the best interest of Sparta Township.
Is this the direction that we want to go in or is an agenda being driven here?
Let’s be clear, the American flag is a symbol of our shared identity as citizens of the United States. It is not a tool for politicians to push their own agenda. We should be proud to display it and to recognize what it represents: freedom, democracy and the pursuit of happiness.
This new flag ordinance represents a dangerous path forward, one that could divide us along arbitrary lines of identity. Instead of embracing what unites us, it threatens to tear us apart.
It is time for the newly elected majority of the Sparta Township Council to focus on the real issues facing our town and to abandon this divisive and unnecessary ordinance.
Ryan Dumpert
Sparta