‘Alaskan Bush People’ Star Called out for ‘Disrespecting’ American Flag, Quickly Apologizes

Alaskan Bush People star Gabe Brown apologized for his Fourth of July post, which many found disrespectful of the U.S. flag. In the original post, since deleted, Brown, 31, posed like President George Washington with a flag tucked into his vest like a cape. In his apology, Brown quoted the U.S. laws on displaying the flag, which states that “no disrespect should be shown” to the U.S. flag.

Brown deleted the first photo, then replaced it with another one showing him wearing the vest and carrying the flag. “Dear United States of America. I would like to apologize publicly for my latest post which I’ve taken down after reading, and remembering the following,” he wrote. He then quoted a part of the U.S. flag code that states the flag “should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery” and should be “always allowed to fall free.”

“So wearing it as a superhero cape in my Independence Day video was wrong of me,” Brown wrote. “I apologize if I offended any government citizenry or Patriot of the U.S.A. This was not my intent. I hold America in the highest regard and believe in its constitution, and declaration of independence. God Bless America.”

Many of Brown’s fans told him he should not beat himself up for the photo and thought he did not intentionally mean to disrespect the flag. “Don’t beat yourself up, dude. There are bigger issues in the world,” one person wrote. “I’m sure it wasn’t intentional. Your heart is good and your intentions were well-meant. I’m sure,” another commented. “Gabe you did nothing wrong I also miss your smile you [look] sad all the time be happy,” another wrote.

Brown has become known among Alaskan Bush People fans for his intense Instagram posts, in which he often looks very serious. On June 26, he posted a black and white selfie that concerned fans to the point that he thanked them for their support. “Thank you all for the support, prayers, and well wishes,” he wrote at the time. “It helps more than you know, not just on this post, but all of them from all of my family, and yes It’s a line from a very special song. G-night all God bless.”

Brown’s father, Alaskan Bush People family patriarch Billy Brown died on Feb. 7 at age 68 after suffering a seizure at home. Billy’s family was with him at the time. According to police reports obtained by The Sun, a responding officer spoke with Brown to get details on his father’s medications. A medical helicopter was requested, but Billy died at the scene.

After being away from Instagram for almost a year, Brown broke his silence in April to comment on the loss of his father. “Times are changed as times must, and do, and the room seems empty without you,” Brown wrote on April 23. “I carry on from day to day, remembering those things you’d say, tears of pain run down my face they try to take your special place, I wake up dreaming we have to be apart, yet those we [lose] from our sight are never gone from our hearts.”