A wellspring of “patriotic indignation” rises up in many Americans, especially those who have served or are serving in the military, over the “desecration” of the American Flag. To them, it’s like trampling on the memories of those who have served and or given their lives “defending” the flag and what they believe it represents. (in this day and age what it represents is surely questionable) Of course I’m not trying to speak for them but I think I’m stating the case fairly accurately.
I also believe that most of them would like to commit bodily harm to those who “desecrate” the flag or at the least believe there should be some sort of punitive action taken against them. This seems like a pretty radical stance to take against someone who is taking an action that in no way could be construed as an act of aggression against another’s person or property. In other words, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, if there is a crime at all.
Those who burn flags or whatever else they may do to them, claim to be doing so as a symbolic gesture, to make a point. They claim they have a right to do this since they have a right to freedom of speech and this is a form of “free speech”. While I may take issue with the idea of an absolute right to “freedom of speech” in this case I’d agree that they have a right but it’s really not about freedom of speech but rather, it’s about property rights.
I do believe they have a right to burn, desecrate, trample or whatever else they take a fancy to do to the flag and they have this right because of the right to do as they wish with their own property. Looking at it from this point of view makes the free speech issue a moot point. If I take a piece of material and paint on the stars and stripes and I put my labor and money into creating the flag or purchasing it then it’s mine and no one has the right to tell me what I may do with it as long as I’m not infringing upon somebody else’s rights or property.
I would also ask that, for those who have such a deep emotional attachment to a symbol of the place of their birth and think that those who, in their minds, “desecrate” it should be punished, then by the same token any symbol that represents something sacred in the minds of others should also have laws against their desecration as well don’t you think? You say “But it’s our country!” To which I say – So what does that have to do with their right to do as they please with THEIR property? Do you really want to give up the right to do what YOU want to do with YOUR property just because what someone else does with their property offends you? I can only hope you answered that question in the negative.
Really, I could care less if somebody burns a flag or a cross or a bible as long as it’s theirs and not mine. And furthermore, I’m not offended when they do because I have the power to choose to be offended or to not be offended. Anyone can say or do anything that MAY offend me but if I choose to NOT be offended then they have no power to offend me do they? I’m sure many of those who are offended at the burning of a flag have even made the statement that “you don’t have a RIGHT to NOT be offended.” Be honest. Have you ever said that? (not a question for Lefties of course)
For those who have the belief that it’s disrespectful to those who fought for freedom during the Revolutionary War I can sympathize but that’s still no excuse to persecute or prosecute these people. For those of you who still believe it’s disrespectful to ALL veterans and service men and women, well, I can only say that I certainly don’t believe that anyone who fought in any of the other wars after the revolutionary war did so to protect our freedom. They fought for their government’s interests which I would strongly argue were and are not in the interest of the American people. The CIA assassinating leaders of other countries and starting wars under false pretenses and then soldiers following orders to go and kill tens of thousands of people in illegal wars while TV ads bombard the minds of American citizens with slogans like “the US Navy, fighting over there protecting all we hold dear over here” or whatever… Blah, Blah, Blah!!! Such propaganda makes me want to puke!
Sending soldiers to the other side of the world is, in fact, making us less safe by creating more hatred for us through the needless killing of millions of civilians. More and more soldiers are beginning to realize this and that they’ve been conned by their government. If the American flag stands for anything, it stands for American Imperialism and endless war. This country has only been at peace for ten percent of its entire existence. The flag is, if anything, a Battle Flag and certainly not the flag of freedom, liberty and independence. And least of all PEACE. What’s wrong with peace anyway?
The bottom line is that the flag is just a piece of material. It has no intrinsic sacredness or holiness. It’s not the Ark of the Covenant, it’s just a symbol and it means different things to different people so quit being such a delicate flower and get over it. After all, if freedom is what it’s all about then people should be free to “desecrate” whatever they choose if they are the owners of it.
Just an afterthought: Some people believe tattoos are a desecration of the human body so we should really outlaw them too. There’s really no reason the state shouldn’t be able to outlaw the desecration of the human body right? After all, it’s created in the image of God and surely it must therefore have a level of sacredness far above a flag. Oh wait, I own my body or does the State own it… I forget?