Mai Vang serves on the Sacramento City Council and is running for Congress in California’s 7th Congressional District. Her résumé is extensive. According to her campaign biography, she earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and sociology from the University of San Francisco, followed by two master’s degrees from UCLA in public health and Asian American studies. She also teaches ethnic studies at California State University, Sacramento, and has previously taught Asian American studies at the University of California, Davis. The daughter of Hmong refugees from Laos, she has also served on numerous regional boards and commissions and has been recognized for her work on equity and racial justice.
Yet for all of those academic credentials and public honors, Vang recently drew national attention for something much simpler: turning her back on the American flag during the Pledge of Allegiance at a city council meeting. The video circulated widely over Memorial Day weekend, but it was not an isolated incident.
Sacramento Councilwoman Mai Vang turns back on flag, rejects Pledge Of Allegiance: pic.twitter.com/0IIJUuRoPu
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 24, 2026
In a 2025 Facebook post, Vang explained that she intentionally refuses to recite the pledge. She wrote that, although she loves the United States, she uses that moment to reflect on “the injustices and harm that continue to affect so many, both locally and across the globe, under this nation’s influence.” She added that people should resist becoming numb to current events, remain vigilant, and continue “the fight for equity, justice & humanity,” concluding with the phrase, “We got us.”
Her explanation stands in sharp contrast to a famous routine performed decades ago by comedian Red Skelton. Skelton, who left school after the seventh grade, often recalled a lesson from his principal, Mr. Lasswell, who believed students had begun reciting the Pledge of Allegiance without thinking about its meaning.
Skelton walked through the pledge word by word. “‘I’: Me, an individual, a committee of one,” he began. “‘Pledge’: Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give, without self pity. ‘Allegiance’: My love and my devotion. ‘To the flag’: Our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom.”
He continued through the remaining words, explaining that “United” meant people coming together, while “States” referred to individual communities joined for a common purpose. His definition of a republic emphasized that government derives its authority from the people, not the other way around. He described liberty as the freedom to live without fear or retaliation and justice as treating others fairly. The final phrase, “for all,” reminded students that the country belongs equally to every American.
Skelton also reflected on the later addition of the words “under God,” joking that it would be unfortunate if someone someday decided those words amounted to a prayer and should be removed from schools. What was presented as humor at the time has since become part of broader debates over patriotism, religion, and civic traditions.
