In a television scene that hits the bullseye on a truth many are aware of, CBS’s FBI let the cat out of the bag last night: Republicans proudly display American flags on their front porches.
On the season finale titled “Ring of Fire”, FBI agents are tasked with finding Somali terrorists who murdered CIA operatives. The show kicks off on an intriguing note as the victims turn out to have almost no digital footprint. The plot thickens when, with the aid of some mobile phone clues, agents Bell and Zidan land up at a restaurant which saw Christine, one of the victims, meet with an unknown fellow.
Enquiring more about the mystery man from the restaurant owner, it turns out Jack, as the man was known, intentionally flew “a flag outside” his home. It was his way of signaling to potential criminals that he could be a Republican and a firearm holder capable of protecting himself.
Confused, agent Bell’s curiosity is piqued. It seems absurd, yet could it be that simple? The restaurateur confirms it. Flying the American flag has become synonymous with being a Republican that owns a gun. As the story unfolds, it turns out Jack is a CIA agent assisting the FBI in tracing back the murders to Al-Shabaab terrorists on American soil.
In just a few simple lines of dialogue, the CBS show lays out a truth that many in political circles are aware of: Republicans are typically more patriotic and are seen as upholding law and order and standing for the right to self-defense.
Someone in the FBI’s writers’ room must be a quiet conservative, as this discreet reveal is quite the anomaly on mainstream network television. Should this subtle conservative voice continue to pepper in more blatant truths in the dialogue, perhaps we’ll see further acknowledgment of realities that are too often overlooked by the popular media.
In a surprising moment of honesty, CBS’s FBI has recognized a fact that stands clearly for many: owning an American flag marks perceived Republican affiliations including patriotism, respect for the rule of law, and an individual’s right to bear arms.
