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It stands for liberty and is one of the world’s most recognizable emblems of freedom and democracy. It flies over our government buildings and our schools, in our parks and at our homes, reminding us all how blessed we are to live in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” It represents the pride of patriots throughout the ages who have sacrificed in so many ways for this country, in some cases giving their own lives to ensure our collective way of life. It has been hailed as the “Star-Spangled Banner,” the “Stars and Stripes,” and “Old Glory.” It is the flag of the United States of America.
As Flag Day (June 14) has come and gone and as we prepare for Independence Day, it is appropriate for Americans everywhere to reflect on what it is that makes our Nation truly great and the symbol of that greatness, our flag. More than one million American men and women have died fighting to defend our way of life. These silent defenders of our freedom – those whose ranks now include the fallen patriots from Operation Enduring Freedom – gave their lives to preserve the freedom, liberty, and justice which our flag represents.
Our flag represents hope. It proudly puts the world on notice that America means freedom. It has led brave Americans into battle. It has covered the caskets of those who died to secure our blessings. Marines raised it on a tiny Pacific island as a beacon of hope to signify that America would lead the world to victory over tyranny and oppression. And it stood guard over the ruins of two tall towers in New York, raised by firemen whose colleagues perished trying to save the first victims in the war on terrorism.
On June 22, 2005, the House of Representatives approved a constitutional amendment to empower Congress to enact laws to prohibit the physical desecration of our flag. I cosponsored and voted for this resolution because I believe we must protect our national symbol and the ideals it represents. I call upon the U.S. Senate to pass the Flag Protection Amendment so that it can be sent to the States for ratification. Once three-fourths of the States have ratified the amendment within seven years, it can become part of our venerable Constitution and Congress can take action to prohibit the flag’s physical desecration.
I understand and appreciate that not everyone agrees that we should prohibit the physical desecration of the flag and that some believe to do so violates our right to speak freely. I do not, however, believe that flag desecration is a form of free speech, a protest against government policies, because the American flag doesn’t stand for a particular policy or view. It stands for the United States of America. An America where people have the right to disagree and in which divergent views are publicly debated and considered. An America in which power and the privilege of our Nation’s highest office is transferred peacefully, not by the force of arms in the middle of the night.
Believing in this, I cannot condone destroying the symbol which means freedom and the ability to disagree. I firmly believe that by defending our flag, we ensure that our right to free speech will never be denied.
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