Constitutional Amendment Burning the American Flag Might Become a No! No!

To Most Americans the American Flag means "I am not alone". Sweet We-ness!

This is an open letter to local radio hosts on KHOWradio out of Denver Colorado

Craig, Dan:I enjoyed the show today about the Constitutional Amendment to make it illegal to burn the American flag.

You mentioned people taking an oath when enlisting in the Armed Services to uphold and defend the Constitution, not the defend the American Flag.

Taking the oath when entering the armed services:

Theory says I took an oath, before going to Vietnam, to defend the Constitution.

Reality however is what I was thinking as I took the oath. I had the image of the flag not a Constitution.

Reality again is before going into battle there was an emotional lift whenever I caught a glimpse of our flag. The flag was my wife Debbie, my high school sweetheart. The flag was my daughters Kim, Tanya and Tasha. The flag was everything I loved about my country.

I listened to your arguments and the “theory” part of me agreed with you. Maybe it would be restricting freedom of speech, however we already have laws restricting freedom of speach. One is hate speech as an example.

You disagreed with the statement by General H. Norman Schwarzkopf when he stated that the American flag was the single most important symbol that all Americans relate to. You stated that there are many symbols to Americans, our Constitution, a picture of our capital or the Star Spangled Banner. These examples are fine in theory. But........

I don’t live in the world of theory. I live in the world of fact and what I experience. My experience as a serviceman and afterwards when I reentered civilian life is that when the flag is raised everyone around me crosses their heart or salutes.

At that moment, more so than gazing at the parchment in a museum, or a picture of our nation’s capital, when all eyes are seeing that piece of cloth, there is sameness experienced by all. Jubilation is felt.

When that flag is folded and given to a widow, it’s the gift that represents what that husband, that son, that brother died for. It is an emotional symbol.

I doubt if there are many Americans that can look at that flag before a ball game and not feel something emotional in looking at it.

You felt it after September 11th. You know what I’m talking about. I know that you have felt it too. Burning that flag is like burning what we love most about America whatever it is.

You also made the statement it is just a piece of cloth. Craig gold is just a metal. Diamonds are just rocks. We still place value on them and give the excuse of rarity. There are many other things that are just inanimate objects that we place value on. Why should our flag be excluded from this? Because YOU don't think it is as important as calling someone a nigger or a beaner or a chink?

It’s certainly placing value on the symbol of what we love. Yes. It is worth feeling that sameness in that moment. You need gas to run an engine, we need commonality if we wish to run this country and keep it strong.

That symbol has power.Theoretically I wish we weren’t that way. I wish that we could all love and know the power of freedom so much that we would instinctively spread it throughout the world and not have these absurd debates of how we got into Iraq and when we should leave… blah blah.

If we loved our freedoms enough none of us would even think of burning our symbol of it. But that’s not the factual world. There are those that use the burning of a flag as a provocation to others. I think there should be a law against such provocation. I think there is a legal precedent about what is provocation or hate speech where you don’t hold the respondent to that provocation or hate speech guilty.

We have so many laws that restrict freedom of expression. I can’t wave my dick in public as a freedom of expression. It is against the law because the majority in this society finds it offensive.

If the American people pass such an amendment nothing wrong has been done. They are outlawing something that the majority find offensive enough to outlaw. It isn’t trifling with the constitution it is the expression of self government guaranteed by it. You may not agree with the way the majority vote, but that in and of itself has merit only to you.

I don’t see why we should stop at something that joins us together.
With Respect,

Gary O'Malley