The brave, devoted men and women of the U.S. Military fight to defend our freedom. They fight under our flag, Old Glory, the stars and stripes, red, white, and blue. They defend everything that we hold dear, and we owe them a debt that we can never repay.
However, some people choose to pay them back with contempt. Members of the Military make great sacrifices -sometimes the ultimate sacrifice- to defend our rights. However, does having the right to do something make it right?
Flag burning comes to mind after reading the recent story of a teacher who did just that in class. Dan Holden, a middle school teacher in Kentucky burned flags in two classes last week. While we many never know this teacher’s true motives, it is claimed that he was only using this exercise as a provocative effort to make kids think. I for one believe that a picture would have sufficed, rather than actually burning the flags.
Since flag burning is now protected as a form of “free speech,” something we all hold dear, people do have the right to do it. That does not however make it palatable as far as many Americans are concerned, especially while at war.
I spoke with a few Vets who told me that they would die fighting for a person’s right to burn the American Flag, but that didn’t mean they were any less offended by people desecrating the very symbol they fought under. They defended this form of expression while simultaneously admitting that they were hurt and offended by it.
“That’s the beauty of free speech,” one retired Marine stated. “Speech or expression is protected, no matter how abhorrent. It wouldn’t be ‘free’ if it were only allowed for items we all agree with, now would it?”
While that makes perfect sense, I still find it deeply offensive that people actually do it. There is no right to be free from offense, and there shouldn’t be. I just hope people who exercise their right to burn the flag realize that and accept my right to just as freely express my disdain.