Father Michael Pfleger, loath to be out of the media spotlight for too long, is now flying the American flag upside down outside of his Church St. Sabina Church in Chicago.

According to Chicago Breaking News:

Pfleger said he decided to fly the flag upside down outside St. Sabina Church on the South Side as a “distress signal” to raise awareness of how many children are being killed by gun violence.

Pfleger referred to Wednesday’s fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ramone Morris on the West Side and the slaying of 15-year-old Alex Arellano, who was found beaten, shot and burned over the weekend.

Some people have complained to him that it’s inappropriate to use the flag as an act of protest.

The U.S. Flag Code, passed by Congress, states the flag should not be flown upside down “except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”

Pfleger said the recent killings of children demand such a signal of distress.

I understand that the issue of youths being murdered on the streets of Chicago hits home for Fr. Pfleger as he was a foster father to a young man who was killed by stray gunfire in 1998.

But I think his ostentatious actions don’t really focus people on the violence. I think it turns the focus on Fr. Pfleger. Remember, this is the same Pfleger that had Al Sharpton speak during Mass from the altar while he was running for President.

This is the same Pfleger that threatened to “snuff out” a gun shop owner.

This is the same Pfleger who bombastically mocked Hillary Clinton saying, “I really believe that she just always thought, ‘This is mine. I’m Bill’s wife. I’m white, and this is mine. I just gotta get up and step into the plate.’ Then out of nowhere came, ‘Hey, I’m Barack Obama,’ and she said, ‘Oh, damn! Where did you come from? I’m white! I’m entitled! There’s a black man stealing my show!'” He then pretended to wipe tears from his face, a reference to Clinton’s emotional speech before the New Hampshire primary, and added, “She wasn’t the only one crying. There was a whole lot of white people crying.”

Starting to see a pattern here?

The Rev. Pfleger said recently, “There’s more attention being given to the flag than to children dying.”

Something tells me that was the point. Because if you go to St. Sabina’s website you’ll see right on the front page a press release:

PRESS RELEASE: AMERICA IS IN DISTRESS!!

Tonight at 7:00 pm, Rev. Michael Pfleger, Pastor of Saint Sabina Church, will raise the American Flag upside down on the flagpole in front of Saint Sabina Church and School…

Hmmm. Are you really allowed to act shocked that you’re getting press attention after you send out a press release?