This independance day make me reflect on the many men and women you have fought for our rights of independance, and our rights as Americans.
I have been greated disturbed by recent attempts to add an amendment to the constitution declaring American Flag burning against the law. It disturbs me because I feel that the American Flag is a symbol of our freedom of speech. It was created, changed and modified as much as this country has been created and changed.
Mainly the people burning the American Flag are those that live in foreign countries and see the flag as a symbol of our country - they are voicing their discontent with our country. That truly is democracy at work. We must be able to accept the bad comments about our country along with the good. We need to pay attention and listen to those that hate us, and try and understand why.
It is complex becuase even our own flag code presents a problem: Straight from the official FLAG CODE - "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."
And what is an American Flag? It is material made up of threads -- so if I collect the thread that makes a flag and burn it have I broken this law? If I have a picture of a flag and burn that, is that not the same as burning a flag? If I write about burning flags, if I paint about burning flags, if I sing about burning flags; am I an accomplish to this or am I just exercising the right to Free Speech - with my voice - whether that be the visual voice, the written voice, or just the voice of discontent. Where will this amendment stop the burning?
When so many people, both American and non-american - have died fighting so that Our Flag will still waive, why have we become elitist and think that our symbol of freedom is somehow protected against those who should want to voice their opposition to it. Most of the flag burning is not happening in this country, but elsewhere in the world. We are foolish to think that by outlawing this practice in the USA that we are protecting our flag and our country. Certainly this practice will still happen in the rest of the world, certainly it will be broadcast into our homes, through the television, internet and newspapers - so is media breaking the law by showing us this worldwide discontent?
I say that we need to listen to the world and our people, and if their discontent is so severe that they need to burn the US Flag, then we have failed as a nation to allow their voices to be heard - thus failing the freedoms that so many men and women have fought to protect and what our flag truly represents.
Happy Independence Day
Copyright 2005 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved
1 comment:
What bothers me is the utter lack of respect for the flag that most Americans demonstrate. We turn it into bathing suits, t-shirts, underwear, curtains, napkins... it's become a motif instead of a symbol. Which means we only salute it at ball games, while they withold the entertainment from us. And even then, we're singing not the National Anthem, but America the Beautiful, which is a religious hymn. We're all confused about our patriotism because it's something this generation has never had to question. How many people do you know own homes? How many of them display a flag on their porch? How many of those only did so after 9-11? In the US, patriotism is something that is enjoying a vouge. We drag it out every year so we can see fireworks and have parties. It means little else to most people, even now while we're still fighing wars.
Aaagh... somebody kick me off this soap box... I could go on for days!
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