Don’t disrespect the flag
Don’t disrespect the flag
The American flag is the symbol of our country. It symbolizes equal opportunity for all, under the law. This IDEAL is the foundation of our nation. This IDEAL is codified in our Bill of Rights, Constitution, and the Laws of our country. That IDEAL is what our flag represents.
It also guarantees the right to respectfully disagree with anyone and everyone. Honest, respectable discourse usually attains resolution of differences of opinion, approach, cultures, and genders.
When this honest discussion fails to reach an amicable conclusion, our laws provide for adjudicated settlement in our court system, intended to reach equitable solutions.
We are all human, including our elected, appointed, and employed government officials. We are all prone to human error. We all have our ignorant prejudices, based on our life experiences. This ignorance is sometimes the source of prejudicial behavior, that we attempt to minimize in our laws and their application. Mistakes have been made. These mistakes do not minimize the IDEAL our flag represents.
As a combat veteran, I believe that disrespecting our flag disrespects the IDEAL that it stands for. In disrespecting that IDEAL, it feels like preferential treatment is expected. I respect protesting individuals’ right to protest. I don’t believe anyone deserves preferential treatment. We’re all equal, under the law.
That’s why I don’t buy Nike.
Michael Curtis, Koloa
the ‘man’ who discourages taking a ‘knee’ will gleefully separate children and babies from parents, put them in refrigerated cages. You follow this poor excuse for a ‘leader’?
I agree with 90% of your letter. You lost me on the “disrespecting the flag” part. What does that mean? Burning it, spitting on it, wearing it as part of a shirt, hat or swimming trunks, letting it touch the ground, using it to sell merchandise, or displaying it above a podium during a political speech? Folks can do whatever they want with the flag as far as I’m concerned. It’s just a flag, a piece of cloth. How you behave, how you treat others, how you conduct yourself in the world, your character, your honesty, courage and the words you speak: those are what’s important. Not how you treat a flag. People can express themselves however they want, as long as it doesn’t hurt others in my opinion. That’s what makes America the best country in the world.
There’s nothing more American than freedom of expression. Buy Nike. Swoosh.
AMEN Michael! Thank you for your intelligent letter in the sea of insanity we have become.