> > >>> > Burn that flag... > > just ask permission... > > Written by Tom Adkins > (7/1/98) > > What do we do about people who want to burn the American flag? You > know...those folks who want to stomp all over it, or spit on it to >make some > sort of "statement." Some say the first Amendment gives us the >right to > desecrate the American flag. Others want to make it illegal. This is >a tough > one. What should we do? I can solve this one easily. I believe we >should > have a simple requirement. Let flag desecration be legal, but you >have to > have three sponsors who will give you written permission. Those >sponsors > should be from a panel of experts who might be considered >"qualified" to give > such permission. > > First, you need a signature of a war veteran. How about a Marine who >fought > at Iwo Jima? > > The men who raised that flag over Iwo Jima did so on the bodies of > thousands of dead Americans, who gave their lives so a few could >raise the > flag in defiant claim of that last island in a long, bloody march to >defeat the > Japanese. What did those Marines think about the flag as they >watched their > comrades get slaughtered? Every battle with the Japanese was >horrific. Each > day meant half of everyone you knew would be dead tomorrow. Your own > future was a coin flip away from a bloody death in a place your >family couldn't > pronounce. Or you could ask a Vietnam vet who spent years in a POW > prison, tortured in small, filthy cells unfit for a dog. Or Korean >War soldiers > who rescued half a nation from communism, or the Desert Storm >warriors > who repulsed a bloody dictator from raping and pillaging an innocent >country, > to find people from a foreign land kiss our flag as we drove through >their > streets. > > To every American soldier who ever fought for the United States, >that flag > represented your mother and father, your sister and brother, your >friends, > neighbors, your fellow countrymen...In fact it stands for your >freedom, > guaranteed by your nation. Those who fought, fought for that flag. > Those who died, died for that flag. I wonder what they would say if >someone > asked their permission to burn a flag? > > Next, you need a signature of an immigrant. Preferably one who left >their > family behind. Their brothers and sisters languish in their native >land, often > subject to tyranny, poverty and failure, while America offers >freedom and > prosperity. > > Some have seen friends and family be tortured and murdered by their >own > government for daring to do many things we take for granted every >day. > Many give their lives in the struggle just to touch our shores, even >as America > turns its back and returns them to face persecution once again in >their native > land. For those who risked everything simply for the chance to >become an > American...what kind of feelings do they have for the flag when they >pledge > allegiance to it for the first time? Go to a naturalization ceremony >and see for > yourself, the tears of pride, the thanks, the love and respect of >this nation, as > they finally embrace the flag of our nation as their own. Then, walk >up and > ask one of them if it would be OK to spit on the flag. > > Last, you need a signature from someone living in a foreign land who >cannot > get here. Say, Rwanda. Or maybe Bosnia. Maybe even Haiti. You might >have > to move fast, as they flee oppressors who attack them with machete's >or > shoot at them randomly in a marketplace. I'm sure they will never >question > your sanity as they duck for cover. > > The writers of the Declaration of Independence are long gone. I >wonder what > they thought of the American flag as they drafted that document? >They knew > such an act would drag the nation into war with England, the >greatest power > on earth. Did the flag mean anything to them? > > They knew failure of independence meant more than just a >disappointment. It > meant a noose would be snugly stretched around their necks. I wonder >how > they'd feel if someone asked their permission to toss the flag in a >mud > puddle? > > In the absence of family, the absence of the precious shores of >home, in the > face of overwhelming odds and often in the face of death itself, the >American > flag inspires those who believe in the American dream, the American >promise, > the American vision... > > Americans who don't appreciate the flag are usually those who don't > appreciate this nation. And those who appreciate this nation >appreciate the > American flag. > > So if you would, before you desecrate the American flag, before you >spit on it, > before you ignore it or despise it...please ask permission. Not from >the > constitution. Not from some obscure law. Not from the politicians or >the > pundits. > > Please ask permission from those who founded the nation. Please ask >those > who defended our shores so that we may be free today. Please ask >those > who fought to reach our shores so that they may partake in the >American > dream. > > And then, please ask permission from those who died wishing they >could, just > once ... or once again...see, touch or kiss the flag that stands for >our nation, > the United States of America...the greatest nation on earth.