Memorial Day is celebrated by outdoor gatherings and commemorating fallen soldiers by flying American flags.
In modern times, it has also fueled political battles over the right ways to display patriotism. Over Memorial Day weekend, scandal erupted after a construction crew at Alaska's Denali National Park claimed they were told not to fly an American flag from their trucks and equipment or over the 475-foot-long bridge they were working on.
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The story erupted after local conservative publication Alaska Watchman cited an anonymous contractor who said members of his crew were told that flying American flags wasn't "conducive and it doesn't fit the park experience."
'At no time did an NPS official seek to ban the American flag'
The story took off and caught the attention of Alaska Republican Senator Dan Sullivan who called it "an outrage ... in the lead-up to our most solemn national holiday" and a "time when Americans come together to honor those that gave their lives in service to our nation."
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In response, the National Park Service (NPS) issued a May 26 statement calling reports that it ordered removal of the flags "false."
"At no time did an NPS official seek to ban the American flag from the project site or associated vehicles," the NPS writes. "The NPS neither administers the bridge project contract, nor has the authority to enforce terms or policies related to the contract or contractors performing the work. The American flag can be seen at various locations within Denali National Park – at park facilities and campsites, on public and private vehicles, and at employee residences – and we welcome its display this Memorial Day weekend and every day."
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What actually happened over Memorial Day weekend? Reports differ widely
The scandal largely ended there but the Alaska Watchman published another piece claiming that Denali Park Superintendent Brooke Merrell was in fact the one who contacted the Federal Highway Administration officials overseeing the bridge project and said there were “complaints” about the American flags several members of the team were displaying.
"The crewman reiterated that the Federal Highway Administration official told the Granite Construction project manager that Park Superintendent Merrell wanted the flags removed from all construction trucks that were driving through the park, whenever they were outside of the confined construction area," the Alaska Watchman report reads.
Similar political battles over displays of patriotism erupt every Memorial Day and Fourth of July. As far as crackdowns go, the NPS has recently been much more focused on promoting safe behavior around wildlife after a number of high-profile incidents. Last April, an Idaho Falls man was injured and arrested after kicking a bison at the entrance to Yellowstone's West Entrance Road while a 35-year-old Massachusetts man sustained serious injuries after a bear snuck up on him during a hike at Grand Teton National Park a month later in May 2024.
"Wildlife are wild and can be dangerous when approached," the NPS writes. "When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot or in a developed area, give it space .... If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in close proximity."
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