The Gadsden flag patch is a representation of the Gadsden flag, a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Beneath the rattlesnake are the words "DONT TREAD ON ME". The flag was designed during the American Revolutionary War and has since been used to symbolize various ideas and movements.
In recent years, the words "Dont tread on me" have come to represent a more general opposition to government overreach in the US. However, the flag has also been associated with controversial and divisive movements. In the 19th century, it was used as a symbol of secessionists and the Confederacy, and during the Civil War, some envelopes included the rattlesnake with the "Don't Tread On Us" motto. In 2014, the flag was used by the perpetrators of the Las Vegas shootings, who placed it on the corpse of one of the officers they killed.
The Gadsden flag patch has recently sparked debates and controversies. In 2023, a Colorado school briefly removed a student from class for carrying a Gadsden flag patch, prompting discussions about its meaning and implications. Some argue that the flag represents a symbol of freedom and resistance to government overreach, while others see it as a symbol of racism and extremism.
