As if we needed another lesson in the intolerance from the political Left, Fox News is reporting a tutorial out of Missouri.

During an interview with Fox & Friends’ Steve Doocy, Cheri Elder, who owns Elder’s Antiques in St. Louis, explains how she learned just how wicked some people can be.

After going through a period with no beat cops patrolling on foot in her business’s neighborhood, which she says is primarily made up of female business owners, two officers, incidentally also female, had been assigned to patrol her neighborhood.

She was thrilled. To show her appreciation for the officers, she decided to display an American flag adapted with a horizontal blue stripe between two black stripes bisecting the flag, which honors law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

What was her thanks for this kind gesture? Some leftist bullies put a sign in her store window stating, “Pig supporters not welcome. Flag goes down or you go down!”

Oh, and, not surprisingly, the words were accompanied by the image of a Communist hammer and sickle. Beneath the image were the letters “MLM.” Could be the thug’s or the group’s initials, but I’ll bet it stands for Marxist-Leninist-Maoist.

When did it become a political statement to support the police?

One thing we should acknowledge. These are not simply political opponents. These are violent, political, anti-cop enemies who are too often tacitly or overtly supported by the Democratic Party. The message included a direct threat to the business owner. This cowardly act shows the lack of any moral legitimacy behind the leftist political position of anyone who would terrorize an innocent business owner.

Unfortunately, Ms. Elder took the flag down, and it was obvious that she was conflicted about doing so. She is a decent, patriotic American who attempted to show kindness toward the police. But she is also a pragmatic woman who does not want to jeopardize her employees’ and customers’ safety. She has to assume the worst of the evil people behind the intimidating sign.

Related: Flags of Our Freedom: These Are America’s History

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Wouldn’t it be nice if, instead of this nice woman having to take her flag down, every other business owner on the street flew a similar flag in front of their own businesses? Not only in support of the police but also in support of their fellow shop owner, and in opposition to all political tyranny.

Sadly, in today’s political climate, that seems unlikely.

Steve Pomper is an OpsLens contributor and retired Seattle police officer. He has served as a field training officer, on the East Precinct Community Police Team, and as a precinct mountain bike coordinator. He has a BA in English Language and Literature. This OpsLens piece is used by permission.

Read more at OpsLens:
Nanny State Laws Enacted by Politicians Tarnish Public Perception of Police
The Air Force Doesn’t Train Warriors Anymore

(photo credit, homepage and article images: Elders Ltd Antiques/FOX)