Hollywood celebrity Chris Pratt, famous for his roles in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” and the blockbuster film “Guardians of the Galaxy,” came under fire this week for wearing a t-shirt depicting the Gadsden Flag, a historical flag with meaning that dates back to the American Revolution.
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) July 15, 2019
The flag, created by Brigadier General Christopher Gadsden of the Continental Army in 1775 features a coiled snake sitting on green grass of a yellow flag along with the words “Don’t Tread On Me” written across the bottom. The flag became a symbol of the American struggle for independence against Great Britain and has been used to express freedom and patriotism since.
The 40-year-old actor’s t-shirt showcased the coiled snake and text in white on the contemporary American flag with a dark background. The actor immediately faced backlash from some users on Twitter for his wardrobe choice.
https://twitter.com/crisismattie/status/1151250501297561600
I like him, but all these small things about his politics makes me wonder when he’ll say something transphobic, tank his career, and do the full heel-turn into a Fox commentator https://t.co/Emfzd02GmK
— Tim Byrnes (@timbyrneses) July 16, 2019
The flag in recent years has been used to highlight American pride by the U.S. Men’s Soccer Team, the band Metallica, and some conservative groups. Its adoption by a few far-right individuals has prompted some to associate the flag with extreme politics. Yahoo News reported that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has deemed the flag as a symbol of “racially-tinged messages” for its endorsement from far-right individuals.