The history behind the controversial ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag

The polarizing flag at the center of criticism against Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has roots in the American Revolution and ties to far-right politics.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has been criticized for a flag flown at his New Jersey vacation house that has ties to both the American Revolution and far-right ideologies. The “Appeal to Heaven” flag, as it is commonly called, also stands outside of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office in the Capitol building and has been proudly displayed by other Republican lawmakers. It has also appeared among crowds at far-right rallies and at the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Like many flags and historical symbols, the Appeal to Heaven flag has multiple meanings and has been used in differing capacities. The flag served as a naval ensign in Massachusetts until 1971, and until recently, flew outside San Francisco’s city hall alongside other historic flags. Here’s a look at its long history, and why it is controversial for some people now. The Appeal to Heaven flag, or “Pine Tree” flag, features a green pine tree on a white field, with the words “An Appeal to Heaven” in black text above it. It was originally commissioned under George Washington’s leadership of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, a history that Alito, Johnson and others point to when defending their own use of the flag against claims of right-wing extremist views. The phrase “An Appeal to Heaven” comes from a passage of British philosopher John Locke’s “Second Treatise on Government” that outlines his interpretation of a people’s right to revolution: “And where the body of the people, or any single man, is deprived of their right, or is under the exercise of a power without right, and have no appeal on earth, then they have a liberty to appeal to heaven, whenever they judge the cause of sufficient moment.”