{"id":115,"date":"2025-11-30T15:12:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T15:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/?p=115"},"modified":"2025-11-30T16:00:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T16:00:30","slug":"why-the-long-branch-voices-of-america-first-stand-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/2025\/11\/30\/why-the-long-branch-voices-of-america-first-stand-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Why The Long Branch Voices of America First Stand Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

George argued that having six Israeli flags for every single American flag sends a clear message: the public identity of Long Branch is being overshadowed by partisan or foreign symbolism. Many in the room described feeling \u201cnervous, anxious, and unwelcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For George \u2014 and many others \u2014 this is not simply about flags; it\u2019s about fairness, representation, and the preservation of community identity. SIGN PETITION NOW!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal and Civic Grounds: Pier Village\u2019s Status<\/strong>
A key point often overlooked in heated rhetoric is the legal status of Pier Village. While privately owned today, the land was originally taken by the city through eminent domain and redeveloped for the public good. As George pointed out during the public comment period: that history arguably gives the site a \u201cquasi-public forum\u201d status, meriting public-first flag representation.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, city documents indicate that the municipality continues to support Pier Village \u2014 through promotional materials, public safety resources, and policing \u2014 effectively using taxpayer funds to subsidize the site.

If public resources maintain a role there, many residents see the site as deserving public-forum norms, including symbols that reflect American unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these arguments, the city attorney has clarified that Long Branch lacks the authority to regulate the flags on private property. The fact remains: Pier Village is privately owned \u2014 making the legal case more complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the Petition Calls For \u2014 and What George Stands For<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On November 7, 2025, a petition on Change.org titled \u201cReplace Israeli flags with American flags at Pier Village\u201d was launched. SIGN PETITION NOW!<\/strong><\/a>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The petition argues:<\/strong> The disproportionate number of Israeli flags undermines the inclusive, American-first identity of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The display can feel exclusionary to residents who are not supportive of the policies or symbolism associated with the foreign flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Pier Village was acquired through eminent domain, its presentation should reflect the public trust \u2014 meaning American flags, not a foreign national flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George\u2019s participation and vocal advocacy align directly with the petition\u2019s call for fairness and representation. He stands for a Long Branch where everyone \u2014 regardless of background or political conviction \u2014 feels seen under the same flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Moral Argument: Community, Identity, and Respect<\/strong>
Beyond legal technicalities, George\u2019s fight touches a deeper moral chord: what does it mean for a shared civic space to fly foreign flags in a way that drowns out the American identity? For many, public spaces should reflect the collective \u2014 not a subset\u2019s political or ethnic affiliation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As one petition signer put it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Israeli flags have come to represent violence for all the people who have been hurt by the ethno-state. These flags tell those people \u2018You are not welcome. You do not matter.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether or not one agrees with that sentiment, it captures why people like George \u2014 and many residents \u2014 feel compelled to fight: it\u2019s not about singling out a group, but about affirming that public areas should represent all citizens equally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why George\u2019s Voice Should Matter to Long Branch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He raises awareness of the complex history behind Pier Village and its public-private hybrid status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He calls for democratic representation \u2014 giving voice to residents who feel sidelined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By pushing for equal flag representation, he invites a larger conversation about identity, inclusivity, and what it means to be part of a single civic community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, he challenges the notion that private property \u2014 especially when subsidized by public resources \u2014 can ignore the values and identities of the broader community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George\u2019s fight isn\u2019t about hostility toward any group; it\u2019s about unity under a banner that stands for the nation all residents share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you support his view or not, George\u2019s fight highlights a critical debate about public identity, property rights, and the voices that truly belong in Long Branch\u2019s public sphere. For many, removing or equalizing the flag display at Pier Village is a step toward restoring trust, fairness, and an inclusive sense of community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you believe public spaces should reflect all \u2014 not just some \u2014 voices, then George\u2019s stand deserves serious consideration and we ask you support America First Efforts by signing your name to the petition online: SIGN PETITION NOW!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In recent months, Long Branch has become the center of a heated civic debate after several Israeli flags began flying at Pier Village \u2014 a waterfront development long tied to municipal redevelopment and eminent-domain history. At the November 12, 2025 City Council meeting, dozens of residents \u2014 including Jeff George \u2014 pressed city officials to reconsider the flag display.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[35,29,34,33,31,32,30],"class_list":["post-115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birthwight-news","tag-america-first","tag-geo-man","tag-israel","tag-jared-kushner","tag-long-branch","tag-new-jersey","tag-pier-village"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions\/119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/birthwight.com\/dirbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}