Your Right to Burn My Flag
Contrary to this piece’s title, our Constitution doesn’t “give” you rights. It doesn’t say you have a right to trample on the flag, to kneel during the national anthem, to burn the flag. The Constitution protects us from the government, and you can’t be charged with a crime or jailed for your protest. So you aren’t strictly given the right, but you can exercise your freedom of protection from the government and burn the flag in protest.
But I will simplify the above and say I believe in your right to burn the flag.
My history with Old Glory began as a young boy. I remember particular things about my grandfathers. Sitting with Cedric, next to his huge Bible. Taking a bookmark out of his Bible and being disciplined. Examining Kenny’s shortened finger, which he lost a portion of to a saw.
Being at Cedric’s funeral and watching the Honor Guard present my grandmother with a folded flag as a thanks to his service during WWII. She was somewhat composed before the flag presentation ceremony but broke down during the flag folding and presentation.
I wore a flag patch on my uniform during my service years. We flew a flag at our Marine Corps headquarters compound in Iraq. Some of the Marines I went to Iraq with came home in flag-draped coffins. I was aboard aircraft and naval vessels worldwide that either flew a flag or had one painted on the vessel.
Later, as a commander, I had to select a member of my squadron to escort a servicemember’s body home; he stayed with the flag-covered coffin during the trip to the burial site.
I led the Honor Guard funeral activities during that member’s graveside service. I called out orders to move, stand at attention, stand at rest, present arms, and order arms. For those of you unfamiliar with commands, they meant where to move, when to stand at attention, and when to salute to show respect during the ceremony. We were the pallbearers for the coffin. During the flag presentation to the servicemember’s wife, the local Catholic church choir sang ‘Amazing Grace,’ which transitioned into the Honor Guard bugler playing ‘Taps’ and the gun salute. There were very few dry eyes at the gravesite. Leading that ceremony is an honor I will never forget for the rest of my life.
When I retired from my service, America gave me my own flag. It remains folded in a place of honor in my house. One day, an Honor Guard will present my wife, or closest survivor, with a folded flag at my funeral.
Today, I fly Old Glory outside my home with a light to illuminate her at night. The Wyoming wind gives her hell, but I won’t take her down except to replace her when she is worn and frayed.
When Old Glory passes, I stand in a position of respect and remove my cover. When the national anthem plays, I stand and pay tribute.
And I vehemently support your right to burn the flag. I support your right to kneel during the anthem. I support your right to spit on the flag, fly it upside down, or mark it with rainbow colors and blue stripes that tarnish the colors.
That’s part of what makes America who she is. Americans from all walks of life are free to demonstrate their right to individualism and protection from the government.
I asked a wise man once his opinion of football players kneeling during the national anthem. He told me, “It’s peaceful protest. They aren’t hurting anyone. Isn’t kneeling better than looting?” America has a long history of protest. Protest in America goes back to at least 1773, even before we were a group of united States, to Griffin’s Wharf in Boston and chests of the King’s tea we threw in the harbor to protest taxation without representation. That protest turned bloody, and the United States of America was born at war.
If I told you I didn’t support your right to burn my flag, wouldn’t that be telling you I thought you didn’t deserve your right to individualism and protection from the government?
And that wouldn’t be what America is.
I believe in your right to burn my flag.
May God bless the United States of America.
