As an American, I respect our flag. As an American, I question why other people don't respect the flag as much as I do.

An obvious issue that has risen lately is people kneeling during the National Anthem. Of course, as a person who has grown up around the military and been extremely patriotic their whole life, this angers me. I don't deny that there are problems in this country; I know we have many problems. However, this is not the way to go about them. Standing up for what you believe in and disrespecting the flag are two completely different things.

The problem is, these men and one woman, who are so rudely disrespecting the American Flag and the National Anthem are unaware of what they are doing. They obviously do not know what the flag truly means. If they did, they would be protesting in a different manner.

The American Flag symbolizes everything this country aspires to be, rather than is. The flag stands for more than just freedom and equality. Red stands for valor, the ability to be courageous in the face of danger. These protestors are doing just that; they are standing up, by kneeling down, even though so many people are against them and that is admirable. However, the flag, which is the focus of their protest, is also the symbol of their goal of equality and representation of the courage that they display.

The American Flag does not represent one portion of the American population, it represents every American citizen. It isn't just whites or Hispanics or Asians who go out, or have gone out, to fight for this flag. Men ,and now women, of all colors have fought and will continue to fight for this banner of freedom. Slaves were offered freedom to fight for it as well, that is how much this symbol of hope means to our country. They were willing to put aside social norms in order to put the flags above themselves, and any racial matter.

The Declaration of Independence of begins with "we the people." Not we men, we women, we whites, we blacks, we Asians or any single demographic, but "we the people." Although we have one president, he or she must be the voice and representation of all types of people. We have to work together to achieve greatness. We all have a voice in what direction this country goes in. We can either separate further and help this country to continue in its decline, or we can unify and lift America up as one people.

At the end of the day, by protesting the flag, you are not only disrespecting the people that you deem to be infringing upon on your freedoms, but you are also disrespecting yourself. These men are not wrong to want to protest, that is a freedom protected by our Constitution, but they need to find a different way to do so. This flag stands for so much, therefore you should always stand for it.

Just as Coach Boone said while addressing his players in Gettysburg, "Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we’re still fighting amongst ourselves today... You listen and take a lesson from the dead. If we don’t come together right now, on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed just like they were. I don’t care if you don’t like each other, but you will respect each other."

In this country, we have a rift and if we continue to let it grow by insulting the ideas and hopes of America then we will be destroyed.