Aside from Billy Joel singing We Didn’t Start the Fire and being a great reference for this article, it seems “the worlds been burning since the worlds been turning.” For as long as I can remember, a flag became a symbol of hope, freedom, valor, love and the American Dream. However, for some that symbol has since changed. For them, the flag has always been burning.

President-elect Trump has recently reached out to Twitter on November 29, 2016 stating, “Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag—if they do, there must be consequences—perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!” Controversially, Secretary Hillary Clinton wanted the same thing in 2005. Regardless of who wanted it first, this is a serious matter. You see, burning the American flag is a crime. It is not only a crime to the country, but it is a direct attack on those who it affects. For example, if you burn a flag because you are upset about the presidential election because you are among the 43.6% of people that did not vote and someone who’s in the military sees that, that is a direct insult to them. You see, that man or woman worked hard to represent that flag even when no one else did. They still, right now, are fighting for each piece of thread on that flag, yet, you feel as if it is okay to burn it? Shame on you.

If I had it my way, anyone that burns the American flag will be immediately fined and then lose their citizenship. With the amount of people burning flags nowadays, America just might get out of debt soon with people being fined for burning the flag.

Since when is it okay to burn a symbol because something didn’t go your way? Shame on you. For those of you that have, take a good look at yourself in the mirror and ask what you are doing. Yes, you have the freedom of speech, but that in no way means it is okay to burn the American flag. There are millions of people in this country that still believe this country is great. I know this country is great because I see the privileges we are blessed with. Think we don’t? I suggest saving the money you have for matches and investing it in a trip to Africa or Europe. Maybe you will get a taste of reality at how dumb you are being.

The world is getting older by the second and the ideologies are changing based on every generation. The millennials believe that everything from the past must be a direct reflection on them. The generation before that believed that you need to install discipline into everyone in order to be successful. Before that, the generation believed that all you have to do is work and not complain about not making enough money. Sadly, a lot has changed over the years, but that doesn’t mean the flag has.

You see, a group of men left England to create a country that was free from British rule. That flag was the symbol of accomplishment, freedom that is social, religious and political, and a new beginning. Every day in America is a new beginning, even that new Chick-fil-A that opened next door is the first step to a new community. The world has not always been burning. If there was any burning going on, it is that in the heart. Many generations have died representing that flag, many in my family. I am absolutely ashamed at those who think it is okay to burn a flag that means more than decoration in the air.

The American flag does not just wave in the air because of the wind, it waves in the because millions of people still believe it is great, even when we are sad. Just because something doesn’t go your way doesn’t mean that the flag is going to stop waving. We are who we are because of the drive for greatness. Yet, like many countries, there are those who believe that the flag should never wave again. They believe that the men and women who come home in a folded flag mean nothing to them. I hope to God that you, those who burn the American flag, are reading this. If you feel as if America has hurt you or broken your heart do us all a favor, okay? Pack your bags, stop complaining about how you hate the country and just get out of America. We don’t need your blood clot in this country, I think we have enough people to keep the blood of what America stands for flowing.

The American flag is a right to support because it unifies this country together. Those that burn it do not deserve to be a part of that unification.