Come, I will conceal nothing from you: being of sound Boston Irish Catholic stock, I am quite familiar with the idea that a politician might think it prudent to use more than the American flag in a campaign display. Is it pandering? Of course it’s pandering: but it’s not pernicious. Fly an Irish flag at a St. Patrick’s Day parade, have an Italian one at the few places that still dare do Columbus Day festivals; even wave a Mexican flag at the nascent Cinco de Mayo celebrations that this culture is adopting. This is an established practice.
But. If you’re an American politician – like Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, or Democratic gubernatorial nominee Fred DuVal – running for an American legislative or executive position, do not fly a Mexican flag from your campaign float and forget to have an American one. That’s not harmless pandering; that’s offensive pandering, particularly when you’re running in a state like Arizona.
