Talk about letting your freak flag fly. The social media world and fans of common decency are reacting to a scary banner with the words “Trump or Death” unveiled on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium during “God Bless America” just before the Yankees-Tigers game.

The incident is equal parts appalling, frightening, ignorant and another prime example of Republican hypocrisy. For starters, the right loves to scold athletes who kneel for the National Anthem during sporting events, but apparently rolling out a giant inflammatory flag during “God Bless America” that obstructs fans' views of the actual American flag is totally fine?

Second, the perpetrators and the rest of the Trump world will undoubtedly hide under the (literal) banner of “free speech” to defend this — but speaking on behalf of those who found the events of January 6, 2021 deplorable, it's still way too soon for anyone on the far right to be organizing any sort of protest anywhere near a public space, particularly at a revered American institution, with the words “Trump” and “Die” in the same sentence.

Third, and this might be nitpicking (but as a writer it's hard to let it go), the banner's message is ignorant and confusing. The makers really should have asked the poor teenager behind the counter at Kinko's stuck with this order to help them edit it a bit. Is it meant as a threat to onlookers? As in, you should vote Trump or you will face Death? Or are they saying they're willing to die if Trump isn't elected? Or are they just saying that Trump is their “ride or die,” (in which case they should really save it for a sweet Facebook post to Trump on their anniversary)? It's possibly a clunky reference to the famous “Join, or die” political snake cartoon published by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as a symbol of colonial freedom, but given the right's recent fondness for textbook banning and fact-denying it doesn't seem likely that they're riffing on a history lesson.

Also, why the years 1776 and 2024? Obviously Donald Trump is running for president again in 2024, but they know he wasn't president in 1776 right? Or does the right now deny Donald Trump has ever lost any American presidential election? Just asking.

Regardless of the mangled motivations, the footage seems to have been first posted from the @ScooterCasterNY handle, and has quickly been spreading on social media. Meanwhile, another X/Twitter user, @dioncini, apparently is taking credit for the incident.

@dioncini also brags on his bio about being a “Professional Provocateur. Banned from Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Studios NYC, Sea World, Sesame Place & Major League Baseball.” Sounds like a real ball of fun to be around. “Sorry, kids, Daddy can't take you to Disneyland or anywhere else fun for vacation — I'm banned.”

So just remember, the next time you go to Yankee Stadium and commit a minor party foul like spilling some nacho cheese as you scooch your way down the aisle, or accidentally knock over your seat mate's beer, at least you didn't emotionally pepper spray the entire stadium's eyes with a “Trump or Death” slogan they'll never be able to unsee.