Photographer who posted recreation of iconic Iwo Jima photo with a pride flag 'didn't expect the backlash'

Greg P. | 1:43 PM on July 01, 2015

So, what do you think about this?

Iwo Jima Marines, gay pride and a photo adaptation that spawns fury http://t.co/QJLRDyTSO5 pic.twitter.com/pRbI9YQBG1

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 1, 2015

Ed Freeman, a professional photographer in Los Angeles, took the photo on the right 10 years ago. He posted it to his Facebook wall after last week’s Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, causing an uproar of sorts on social media after it went viral.

From the Washington Post:

Freeman found that out the hard way last week. More than a decade after his adaptation of the photograph was published, it circulated on social media following the Supreme Court’s decision Friday to allow same-sex marriage in all 50 states.

That prompted a backlash against Freeman — including a death threat he says he reported to the FBI.

“He said if he ever saw me, he’d kill me,” Freeman said in a phone interview. “I got swamped with vitriolic hate mail.”

Freeman also told the Post that he “didn’t expect the backlash” and that any controversy is in “people’s heads”:

Freeman, whose studio is in Los Angeles, said he never expected the backlash. The image, taken before social media was ubiquitous, was partially staged using models, and completed with Photoshop, he said.

“The principle complaint that people have is that I am equating the gay struggle with the contribution and sacrifice of American servicemen,” he said. “But there is no equal sign here. This is not meant as a sign of disrespect. For God sake, no. I totally support people in uniform. There is no comparison going on here. The comparison is going on in people’s heads, and they’re spoiling for a fight. They’re already on edge because of the gay marriage decision.”