Everyone has the freedom of speech. It's protected by the First Amendment and is one of the best things about the United States. How great is it that we are able to express ourselves in ways that other countries can't? That's pretty awesome, right?
I have a question though..
Out of all of the things and topics to express ourselves about, why is burning the American Flag one of the top things that citizens of the nation are using to express his or her self? I mean, those who say say, "It's our right. It's our freedom of speech.", you are not wrong. You are actually 100 percent right. To some it is not only legally right, but it is also morally right. Everyone is entitled to their own outlook and opinion. Burning the flag is actually a way of protesting and those who agree with this act are allowed to express themselves with it.
I'm an open-minded person and a big believer that you can believe what you want. I'm open to listening to different views and hearing people out, but to me burning the flag is not morally right. I am also human and therefore can believe what I want as well. So I want to put some things into perspective about why I feel that burning the flag is wrong.
The flag is a symbol of our country. It's a symbol that flies proudly in peoples' front yards. It's a symbol that I, and many others, grew up saying the Pledge of Allegiance to. It's also a symbol that we stand up for at sporting events, hands over our hearts, ball caps off, staying silent as the National Anthem plays. The flag symbolizes a free country and is meant to unit us, not divide us.
I understand that some of the nation already feels that we are divided for various reasons. There are other outlets to express that anger other than burning the flag though. Whether you like it or not, you live here in the United States. This is your home. A home should always be treated with respect, as well as the contents of the home. The American Flag is an object within our home that we should honor and take care of for various reasons; but one reason sticks out among the others for me, as I'm sure it also does for others. That reason is our troops.
We have troops fighting for our country. Fighting for our country to ensure that our freedom here is preserved and to ensure that we are safe. Because of our troops, we are able to continue our freedom of speech every day among other things. You know what else our troops fight for though? The American Flag. The flag is an object that soldiers hold very dear to their hearts. It's a symbol that they are beyond proud to fight for and they take it very seriously. If they didn't care about their country and their flag then most likely they wouldn't be putting their lives on the line. They wouldn't be leaving their families, missing their first child being born, and missing holidays if it wasn't important. So how can citizens of our nation, knowing all of this, still feel the need to burn the flag that so many have died for and that so many are currently risking their lives for?
Put yourself in the shoes of someone who has lost a loved one to war. Just imagine how it would make you feel if you saw the same flag that sits folded in your home in honor of your loved one, is now being burned on national television because of protest reasons. It's like a slap in the face.
It doesn't matter what race, religion, political party, or social standing you are, take into account who is ultimately being disrespected by this act and form of protesting. The United States, your home, and those who are defending your home should always be respected.
The American Flag will always be our symbol and shouldn't be what we channel our anger towards in my opinion. In my eyes it is one of the most disrespectful things a person could do and I will stand by that.
As for everyone else, the choice is yours. But always remember, "United We Stand".
