Here is a sample of opinions from Veterans on the issue of flag burning. Why is this important? Because on June 14, 2006 our Congressmen will be voting on the addition of a new amendment to the Constitution. An amendment that would make it illegal to burn a flag, reversing an earlier Supreme Court decision that tolerated flag burning as a legitimate act of free speech. A request for opinions on the matter was put out to a group of mostly (but not all!) Progressive Veterans and below is the summary from a pool of somewhere between 200 and 300 Vets scattered across the country.  No entry was rejected, all were used below.

The results are an almost unanimous opinion that the Supreme Court ruling should stand.   Now, in their own words...
 

Anne Philiben
LTC USA (Ret.)

I am firmly against any amendment or law which would criminalize flag burning. Flag Burning is the proper way to dispose of a flag.
I would however favor fining people (or at least warning) who fly filthy, torn or faded flags; those who fly them 365 days 24 hours a day with no light.  I think that people who manufacture shirts, diapers, bathing suits, etc. and people who buy them should be fined.
I find wearing a flag much more offensive than burning the flag to protest the wrongs done by this country.
In Vietnam (or in fact my entire military career) I never heard a patient tell me they were serving for the flag.

Wolfgang P. May
Intelligence Operations Officer, 4th US Armored Division
Advisory Team Leader, MACV, Republic of Vietnam
Intelligence Officer, 3d Brigade, 2d US Armored Division

Our nation's flag has a long and honorable history. It is NOT a symbol of the idiots and traitors who occasionally seize control of our great nation through the acquiescence of an incompetent and often criminally liable press, who traditionally represent the interests of those who seize power by deceiving our people.

Our flag, in essence, represents the ideals which our citizens need to uphold, if we seek to continue to be a great nation. I am therefor completely and unalterably opposed to the burning of our flag by those of us who would continue to work for our recovery from the disastrous policies of our current administration.

I do believe that those who have been burning flags have a moral right to do so.  I do believe that these people have the wrong idea, though.  By burning flags, they are leaving the "moral" high ground to the idiots who got our country into the current mess. Although I have been against the war since its beginning, I have had a "support our troops" sticker on one of my cars since our invasion. Our troops are the innocent victims of a grossly flawed foreign policy, and we do need to support them, make sure that they have quality body armor and adequate logistics support
 

  Jack Dresser, Ph.D.
Captain, U.S. Army, Madigan General Hospital, member VeteransAgainstTorture

This is a preposterous suggestion for a constitutional amendment.  I see it as yet another distraction to change the subject from Iraq and other impeachable crimes, some red meat thrown to us liberals to divert us from far more important missions.  We should use the opportunity to turn it back on them.
My inclination is to hand deliver a letter to Smith from several of us, building on the "oath" theme.  It is the substance, not the symbols, of our constitutional government that we swore to protect.  If a citizen perceives that the substance of our democracy is being destroyed, then destroying its symbol is a fitting expression, and the 1st Amendment clearly protects his/her right to do so.  Desecration of our constitutional government is our concern, not a piece of cloth that symbolizes it.  So we now return the conversation to the substantive rather than symbolic desecration taking place in America...

The vote is apparently scheduled for Flag Day, June 14.  I'll also write a Springfield News column on the topic before then.

   RRobert Serra
Staff Sergeant, 1st Infantry Division
 

As a long-time newspaper editor and a self-proclaimed protector of the First Amendment, I have held the view that if a flag desecration amendment were passed I would be the first out there to burn a flag. Now that such an amendment is possible, I have tempered my view. Having served 10 years in the Army, including 13 months in Vietnam, I understand that freedom comes at a high price. Many of my brothers have paid the highest cost in the cause of freedom, which is so brilliantly ordered by the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The flag represents this freedom to me. Therefore, I will not desecrate it. But like my veteran brother Van Doren, those leaders of ours who would diminish our freedom of speech and the supreme efforts of those who have fought for it by passing a flag desecration amendment will feel the fire of my vote.
 

From: Bruce Freeman
. Navy Corpsman, HM2, E-5, 1972-1974
. Letters of Commendation from Depts. Army & Navy (3)
. 100% Service-Connected Disabled Vietnam era Veteran

DUTY STATIONS:
. Naval Regional Medical Center, San Diego, CA
. Naval Neuro-Psychiatric Research Center; Joint Army/Navy Center for Prisoner of War Studies, Point Loma, CA
. Camp Pendleton, Fleet Marine Force (FMF), CA

These are certainly the (extraordinary) times that try men's souls. In such dangerous times, I personally see no difference between flying the flag upside down and burning the flag as extreme signs of distress and/or protest. I do not feel we should limit our right of showing disgust/distrust (sometimes extreme) to combat tyranny abroad, or within our own borders. Another option we have, even more extreme than burning the flag, stands in our right to bear arms and the right of armed opposition to tyranny, from either external or internal sources. As with the Civil War, there may come times when our flag/nation periodically need to be cleansed/purged of the most negative manifestations of ourselves, such as suppression of free speech, greed bordering on theft, intolerance to the point of absolutism, racism and other forms of discrimination, and many others -- and from such times of extreme outrage and cleansing, the flag, and our nation, must either rise once again from the ashes
better from such cleansing and reconnected to our founding principles, or perish into history as merely a noble experiment.
 

Richard Duhamel
165th Military Police Company, '61-'62

It does offend me when one desecrates the United States Flag.  Yes it does matter and it is very important to me and to many Americans who lost loved ones fighting for the freedom the flag represents.  My father was in the hospital twice during WW2.  The first time that he was wounded he almost died.  He refused to be sent back to the states.  He said I will not go home while I have friends who are still out there fighting for our freedom and what all our flag represents.  After a couple of months in the hospital in the Philippines, they allowed him to go back to his unit and to continue on with the fight with his brothers in combat.  Then again he got wounded, this time they said no he cannot stay and they sent him home.  He was angry that he had to leave his comrades behind.  My father ended up being laid up in the hospital with severe shrapnel wounds for two  ( 2 ) years.  He did a lot of suffering before dying.  He believed in what the US flag represents.  FREEDOM FOR ALL.  Now you ask?  Should there be a law making it illegal to desecrate the US flag?  Your DAMN RIGHT.
Ask any American on the street,  I'll bet their answer will be  " LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT"

God Bless You have a great day.
 

Gordon Sturrock
165th Military Police Company '77-'80, member of VeteransAgainstTorture, creator of Squadron13 Aviation Museum, member VVAW

I believe that this whole issue is just another one of many manufactured diversions the Bush Administration has cast upon the American people. Unfortunately, I also believe that we have to dance, since the "gun is loaded". One of our basic rights is at stake here. Expressing anger at our government will be a very common sentiment in the coming years as the magnitude of the crimes being committed becomes known to the still largely oblivious American public. This is an extremely effective move for Bush. It ties up his oppositions resources, and if it passes it will make it harder to make honest and valid expressions of anger towards our government, and removes another chunk of our right to free speech. I am strongly against any amendment that would outlaw burning our flag in protest.
Personally I will not fly the American Flag except when it is at half-mast. That is how it is displayed on Squadron13.com.  I don't expect my feelings to change on than in my lifetime, but we'll see. I know numerous Vets who feel that we are in grave danger and that we should be flying the flag upside down right now! I count myself among them, nine of us to be exact, in my small circle of Vet freinds, but for now I fly it at half-mast. The ONLY time I would carry or display a flag that wasn't at half-mast or upside down would be when I am protesting.
 

Joe Walsh
USN 1962-71, VeteranAgainstTorture, author/playwright of "Bush on Trial"

The burning of the American Flag is a non-issue; there are not a lot of people who are doing this as an act of protest. The Republicans are looking for an issue and think they have found it here or that the National Anthem should only be delivered in English. These rank right up there with gay marriages or trying to take Christ out of Christmas. Smoke and mirrors---get the base up in arms about something other than Iraq, Iran or torturing prisoners of war.

When I went to war, I did so to defend the Bill of Rights and not a flag. Burning a picture of Bush, Cheney or Rummy may be something that I would do; burning the flag is something I would not do. For me it is just bad taste, not something that requires an amendment to our constitution. Senator Smith is a jerk and should spend more of his time finding out why his boss continues to screw over vets year after year. Some have mention that the correct protocol for destroying a flag is burning, I wonder if Smitty even knows this simple fact. Maybe, just maybe we should get out of Iraq, investigate how our money was spent in Iraq and Afghanistan--take care of our 20,000 seriously wounded vets and find out who the hell ordered torture of prisoners in our care. Maybe we should try to find out why we have 10 million more Americans who have no medical coverage, or figure out why there are over 600,000 homes now in default, many owned by vets. This list is very long and I will not bore you by listing all the things that our Senator from hell could be working on, but no---he wants to protect our flag against burning by an illegal alien who may be gay or has long hair. So my vote, don't fart in church, kiss you mother-in-law on the neck, call in sick and tell your boss about the ballgame, I almost forgot, do not burn the flag in protest...
The Supreme Court has said that burning the flag is covered under free speech, the only way the republicans can get the base excited is to introduce an amendment to our constitution to make the act illegal. To be clear I am against any law or Constitutional Amendment to prohibit the burning of the American flag.
 
 

I agree with you both (referring to Van Doren and Gordon's comments), and I myself am not into flag burning either (what does it accomplish?).  But the symbol of "freedom and democracy" has become more important to many people than protecting  the actual laws that ensure freedom and democracy.  We live in strange and dangerous times.  I will write a letter to Smith.  Thanks to you both.
 

From: Van Doren
Dustoff Medic - Vietnam
498th Med Co (Air Ambulance) 1965-1966
Member of Veterans Against Torture since 1943

Didn't we fight this battle back in the 70s?

For personal reasons, I would never burn the flag in protest.  But as many (including the Justices of the Supreme Court) have said, flag burning is a protected form of free speech.  And that 1st Amendment right is just one part of the Constitution all Veterans swore to defend and protect, even with our lives.  And in my opinion that oath did not expire when I got my DD214; nor have I renounced it since.  My oath did not say "unless it offends me".

That oath is also what every President swears to when sworn into office.  Any attempt to amend the Constitution to exempt this one protection just because it is distasteful to some is scurrilous, and invites further erosion of free speech the next time a particular "patriotic hot-button" issue might appear to attract votes.  I would not hesitate to apply that adjective to any member of Congress who would vote for such an amendment.

For those who know me, this might sound a bit strident.  But let it be said:  Any member of the US House of Representatives or the Senate who votes for this amendment does not represent me, and will not have my vote in the coming election - or any that follow!  Can I say this more strongly?

From: Rich Raitano
Medic with 4th Bn / 3rd Inf Rgt (Old Guard) / 11th LIB / America (23rd) Division

For the longest time after the 2000 election I flew my flag upside down. After the weather reduced it to torn and ragged shreds and I properly disposed of it by fire.

However, that was not the question raised and asked.

My personal feelings about our flag is that it is just the symbol of what America is supposed to represent. I would hope that Americans would show more concern for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we live on. But this seems not to be the case.

It appears that the current administration has very little respect for the country, its people and values, the environment, and only raises the issue of the flag and patriotism to suit their political needs and to keep the masses snarling at each other over unimportant issues. They have desecrated and disrespected the flag much more than any "flag burner" ever will.

For me, I would not at this time choose to burn the flag to make a statement, political or otherwise. I see our flag and I am sad for the dream it once portrayed and I feel the weight of the sacrifice many have made to secure those dreams. I still hold fast to that dream and pray we can reclaim our America, our flag, and that dream.
 

From: Bill Perry
Paratrooper with the 101st AIRBORNE Division A/1/506th Parachute Regiment, Phuoc Vinh
VVAW, VFP, VFW, VVA,  Disabled American Veteran, member VeteransAgainstTorture

I'm in agreement with BOTH Ward Reilly, and Dave Collins

From: John Zutz

I assume the amendment is to prevent "desecration" not burning of the flag. Perhaps you should get behind this idea, but only if you could be the one to enforce it. You could be the first "flag policeman."
Think of the power. The bimbo in the stars and stripes bikini, Walmart - when they sell rwb napkins, the used car lot down the street, would all be subject to arrest and fines.
I like to tell my right wing friends to be careful what they ask for, because they just might get it.

From: Dave Collins
USMC 1967 - 71, RVN 1968 - 70, Austin contact, VVAW

Simply put, I oppose any amendment, statue or regulation, at any level of government prohibiting the burning of the flag as an act of protected speech or protest..

In part my unequivocal opposition derives from my belief that it is an issue consciously employed as a distraction and a hook for phony patriots and well meaning citizens alike. There are far too many serious problems effecting veterans and all citizens not of the upper 5% on the wealth distribution curve to be wasting precious legislative and activist time and energy on such an anti-democratic .

There is a federal law on the books - without penalties - that specifies and codifies the proper care, handling, use and display of the flag. I would support enforcement of those provisions which seek to promote display of the flag as a symbol of the dream of a self governing people. On any given day I see, without looking out for such, dozens of instances in which the flag is displayed improperly, usually disrespectfully. From articles of attire to use for commercial purposes. Which damn car lot was it that started the practice of flying the "Holiday Flag" a massive version reserved for very special use - not promoting SUVs and F-150s. The most common violation and act of total disrespect and disregard for what the symbol means is the tattered and faded rag that once was a flag seen on display for months at a time. Put some teeth in that law and empower all levels of law enforcement to act on a violation. Now, I could get up a bit of energy for that.

From: Ward Reilly
SE national contact for VVAW

About the flag-burning issue: There is no issue...if you own a flag, it is yours to burn, period. And when flags are old and worn, they are SUPPOSED to be burned, by the rules of the flag...so making flag-burning illegal is ridiculous.

Peace from Baton Rouge, La.

From: Joe Bangert
Warrior, Independent Ogalala Nation!

If Native Americans burn the flag in protest of hegemony and imperialism, then so can Aye!
 

From: Joeseph Knight
How do you enforce a law without penalties?

For the record, I believe that free speech is pretty much absolute and that includes expression through the destruction of your own property. As a tactical matter, burning a flag is probably pretty stupid.

I ADAMANTLY oppose any constitutional amendment which would sacrifice the substance (freedom) for the symbol (cloth).

Any amendment to the constitution must be considered very important to our rights as citizens.  I see those against flag burning as a way to limit our right of speech.  If it becomes illegal to burn a flag, how will we dispose of flags that are old, torn and battered?  The American Legion who have worked on this amendment forget that they burn those kind of flags.  Do we now throw them in the garbage?  As we throw our speech rights in the garbage along with them?