The picture in question – a photograph depicting four muscular men raising the rainbow flag in an obvious take-off of the famous Iwo Jima image – has been around for a decade. But when it resurfaced this week in celebration of the Supreme Court’s decision on gay marriage, even supporters of the cause were disgusted.
First reported by the Washington Post on Wednesday, the image has inspired outrage from all sectors of the political spectrum. Spreading like wildfire throughout social media, the photograph clearly rubs many Americans the wrong way. And while it surely angers religious conservatives and military veterans most of all, even some who have no problem with same-sex marriage found themselves irritated by the comparison.
Ed Freeman, the photographer responsible for the image, thinks all the negative attention is simply inexplicable. “The principle complaint that people have is that I am equating the gay struggle with the contribution and sacrifice of American servicemen,” Freeman said. “But there is no equal sign here. This is not meant as a sign of disrespect. For God sake, no. I totally support people in uniform. There is no comparison going on here. The comparison is going on in people’s heads, and they’re spoiling for a fight. They’re already on edge because of the gay marriage decision.”
But Freeman is in deep denial. You can’t create a controversial image like this and then claim that you weren’t drawing a comparison between the gay struggle and military valor. Well, you can claim whatever you want, but don’t expect anyone to pay your backtracking the slightest bit of attention. The intent is obvious and the outrage is real.
But this is simply par for the course. Liberals always overplay their hand. They have tried to draw comparisons between the Black Lives Matter movement and the civil rights movement of the 1960s. They have tried to elevate LGBT rights to equal the struggle of black Americans. They have tried to position American society as a racist, sexist, oppressive system that must be destroyed and rebuilt if we are ever to achieve equality.
And the fact is, most Americans aren’t buying it. Anyone with the slightest grasp of history can see this propaganda for what it is. And when it goes too far – like the Iwo Jima picture – we let them know it. Especially when we think back to the bravery and sacrifices of those who fought in World War II. It’s not just offensive to compare the LGBT movement with those soldiers; it’s idiotic.
