BURNING THE FLAG? You Unpatriotic Ingrate Imp!

Donald Trump tweeted on November 29, that those who burn an American flag should lose their citizenship or go to jail.  Trump loves to stir the pot.  He loves to get a reaction from his tweets.  If, you haven't figured that out by now, your head will be spinning for the next 4 years.  In fact, the Main Stream Media is going crazy because Trump won’t call a press conference, he would rather use his twitter account to state his views and connect with people.
 
The Supreme Court a few years ago ruled that burning the flag was protected speech.  In the 1989 case, Texas v Johnson, 491 U.S.397, the Supreme Court ruled: Flag burning constitutes symbolic speech that is protected by the First Amendment. Interestingly, Justice John Paul Stevens, in a dissenting opinion, argued that the flag's unique status as a symbol of national unity outweighed "symbolic speech" concerns, and thus, the government could lawfully prohibit flag burning.
 
Burning our American flag has gotten to be more common than we would like to believe.  I sincerely doubt that my uncles or anyone else that served during WWII thought they were going to war to protect the right for some ‘brat’ student to burn the flag that they were so proud to defend. They had a much higher vision. Those that burn our American flag do not appreciate the freedoms we have and have no clue how many lives have been lost defending America, American values and the American flag.  Remember Iwo Jima!  I was brought up believing that even IF we had the right to do something didn't mean that we should do it.    
 
Actually I think that what Trump tweeted is how many Americans feel.  This tweet has led the MSM into frenzy and discussing ad nauseam flag burning and has certainly made us think.  I don't believe that what Trump tweeted will come about because of the Supreme Court ruling, just as I don’t believe that there will be a wall constructed down the middle of the Rio Grande, but it has made us realize just how low we as Americans have sunk to dismiss this horribly unpatriotic act.
 
That so many Americans disrespect our men in uniform is unimaginable to me. Not long ago,  I had a young man who lost both legs in Afghanistan tell me how he was disrespected in public by someone who had not served.  The hurt I saw in his eyes made my heart ache.  I wanted to reach out and shake the person who said such vile things to this young patriotic veteran. 
 
I believe in the first Amendment, freedom of speech and freedom of expression because as a photographer I want the liberty to exhibit what I believe has merit.   But maybe it's time we show our patriotism by becoming angry when our flag is burned...Maybe we should express our disdain at such an act and stop making it an ‘ordinary’ everyday occurrence.  Maybe it’s time for the draft to be reinstated.  Maybe we should show our patriotism more often by sending care packages to our military!  It’s time to fly the American flag and be proud to be an American!  God Bless America!
 
Facts and Case Summary - Texas v. Johnson
 
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