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Political Flags Flew Outside Couple’s Texas Home for Years—Then Came a Note
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. For years, a Texas couple were known for flying a variety of flags outside their home. Then they received an unusual letter.
Flying flags is a contentious topic for some in the U.S. A 2022 YouGov poll of 1,000 adults found only the American flag (77 percent) and the Betsy Ross flag (57 percent) were viewed positively by a majority of respondents, while the Black Lives Matter flag (37 percent), Gay Pride flag (32 percent), Transgender Pride flag (24 percent), Trump 2024 flag (33 percent), and Confederate flag (21 percent) all failed to win majority support.
For Mike and Donna Bogert, public opinion has never dictated what flies outside their Georgetown, Texas, home. Known locally as the "Flagpole House," the property features a prominent flagpole and a collection of around 150 flags.
"Mike's flag hobby began when we lived in the Dallas area, and his collection has doubled since we moved here to about 150 flags," Donna told Newsweek .
"The collection includes U.S. state flags, which get flown after an event in a particular state, like the fires in California or the election of Zohran Mamdani in New York, or when one of our friends comes to visit; we fly the flag of their home state while they're here."
The Bogerts also fly flags from other countries when significant events occur there, as well as themed flags marking holidays, birthdays, and events such as the Olympics. They fly flags from the American Revolution and flags supporting communities and initiatives such as the LGBTQIA movement and the Red Cross.
They have also flown political flags supporting specific candidates or criticizing the government on particular issues. In addition, the 270-foot fence lining their property often features campaign signs during election season, as is the case with the upcoming midterms.
Sadly, these flags and the peaceful show of support they represent have not always been well received by passersby.
"We have had the occasional yelled slurs and middle finger salutes from passing vehicles and trash dumped in our yard," Mike told Newsweek . "Then there was the couple who stopped by on July 4, 2024, with guns drawn to challenge our right to fly the U.S. flag upside down [a symbol of distress] to which we less than politely declined.
"We have neighbors on our street directly questioning our patriotism. One of them told Donna that it would be a 'better look' if we took the anti-Trump flag down. The irony in that was that person was a leader in the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter."
So when another Georgetown resident wrote to them on August 8, the couple were left "perplexed." The writer said he respected their right to display political flags despite disagreeing with their views, arguing that "there is too much division in our country and it is corroding the very fabric of our great nation." He said he wanted to meet "not to argue or convince" but to "gain a better understanding of someone who has differing opinions than I."
Donna said her initial reaction was one of "acute wariness."
"Either he was reaching out to convince us that our political views were incorrect or he was trying to appeal to us to attend his church, as we do fly the Christian flag on Sundays," she said.
The couple nevertheless felt "morally obligated" to respond.
In their reply, the Bogerts argued that America's growing polarization is intentional, writing that "chaos breeds confusion and distraction."
"In past times, we looked to the middle for compromise, but there has been a deliberate effort not to just push things to an extreme, but to send this country back to an antebellum society of sorts and/or parcel the United States off for the money it would make," Mike wrote.
They revisited the incident with the armed visitors intent on having them take down their flag that day, only to end up facing a criminal trespass order. Their flag remained untouched.
"We want to do more than 'agree to disagree' but it is not our purpose to convince you to change the way you vote. However, we cannot and will not compromise on ethics and morality. It is our belief that people vote according to who they are at their very core, so it may be difficult to find common ground. My suggestion would be to keep things in writing for now, but we are not saying 'never.' If it serves a purpose to meet for conversation, then we will," they wrote.
They concluded by expressing hope that people will one day be judged "not by the color of their skin but the content of their character," adding: "We are of the opinion that the truth shall prevail. Always has... Always will."
Donna hopes the incident and their reaction to it underline their core belief that "failure to stand up for what you believe in becomes a tacit surrender."
"Silence gives consent to the conduct of a people who use fear, coercion and dishonesty," she said. "By being vocal, we may give someone else the courage to be vocal and stand up, and then we can stand together. I heard a statement recently that defines us: 'If I can't build a bridge, then I'll be a lighthouse.'"
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang
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