Many of you are flying Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes over this 4th of July holiday period.
The American flag is one of the most important symbols of the nation’s independence and freedom and it is still important to respect the flag as you celebrate Independence Day.
Kathy Nees, Programs Director of the American Legion of Iowa, says the American flag should be respected because it represents freedom, democracy and the history of the nation:
OC……..patriotism. :12
Violating the U-S Flag Code isn’t against the law, and Nees notes that in 1989, the U-S Supreme Court ruled that desecration of the American flag is a form of free speech protected under the First Amendment:
OC…….protect those colors. :13
Iowa U-S Senator Chuck Grassley is a co-sponsor of legislation announced in June to change the U-S Constitution to give Congress the authority to prohibit “physical desecration” of the American flag.
Similar amendments have been attempted in the past, but opponents say acts of desecration are part of Americans’ right to expression.
