I Won't Support Your Right to Burn the American Flag | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

I Won't Support Your Right to Burn the American Flag

I support just about everything else, but not burning the flag.

22
I Won't Support Your Right to Burn the American Flag

I support your right to protest, your right to kneel during the National Anthem, and your right to shout whatever you please, but if there’s one thing I will not support, it’s your right to burn the American Flag.

When I was a kid, I always wanted the job of taking the flag down from the flagpole, but I was too small. My grandfather told me that if I tried to carry the four by six-foot flag, it would drag across the ground. “Never let that flag touch the ground!” I grew up remembering this advice every time I got lucky enough to carry the flag. I never let an American flag touch the ground. By the time I was eleven or twelve, I was finally tall enough to catch the flag as my grandfather would pull the rope releasing it into my open arms. Then I was lucky enough to help him fold the flag properly. I’ve never seen someone treat a piece of cloth with so much care; but what do you expect from a veteran?

In 1917, World War I was officially in full swing. By 1918 when the war ended, 116,516 American soldiers had been killed in one year. Over one-hundred American soldiers lost their lives defending the American flag and the country that it represented.

On December 7th 1941 the Japanese bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor. 2,403 Americans died that day. 1,178 were wounded. The United States troops declared war on Japan and entered World War II. Four years later, in 1945, the United States invaded Iwo Jima as part of the strategy to defeat Japan. In the War at Iwo Jima, 26,000 American soldiers lost their lives, yet after all the bullets flying, bomb detonations, and bloodshed spreading ceased, something miraculous happened. Three United States Marines proudly raised the American flag through the ashes of the war that had just occurred and put it high enough for everyone to see that America had prevailed. Through hardship, blood, sweat, tears, and fighting for what they believed in, the Americans in that war had won.

A day that most of the current population can remember where Americans were presented with grave tragedy was none other than September 11th, 2001. The country was faced with one of, if not the largest, terrorist attack on Americans we had ever seen. On this day, 2,996 people lost their lives. Instead of tearing each other apart as a nation, we came together. We held the ones who wept, aided the injured, supported the nation as a whole, and grieved for those we had lost. Once more, through all the debris, members of the New York City Fire Department proudly raised the American flag. No one disagreed when the flag was raised, as it was a reassurance to all underneath of it that we would once again rise through the ashes and remain standing.

The American flag represents the people who have died to protect this country. The flag represents our triumph and perseverance as a country even in the toughest and most trying times. The flag represents how far we have come as a nation. The flag represents all the people still fighting to protect the rights of the American people. The flag represents the men and women serving in our armed forces to ensure that we are and that we remain a free country.

I understand that many in this country right now feel scared and threatened by the possibility of the removal of rights, but I ask that you turn to a different form of protesting the American government than burning the one symbol that represents us all together as one nation. To burn the American flag is to burn away into nonexistence all the lives that were lost protecting it. As a country, we need to come together instead of tearing each other apart.

Right now, we are stuck in a state of trial. Just as the men and women before us, we can come together as a nation, triumphant, and proud. And together we can proudly fly the American flag as a symbol of unity, instead of one of division.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

3048
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1841
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

201109
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21488
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments