The American Flag Essay - 1176 Words

When you see the American flag, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Is it a war? A relative? A political leader? What? For me, I usually think of the Star Spangled Banner. I grew up on a military base in Germany. If the flag were being raised or lowered, you would see soldiers, and even civilians, standing at attention, saluting the flag. In a parade, as the flag was being carried in front by one of the brigades, everyone held his or her hand over his or her heart as the flag passed that person. Even in the theaters, before the movie would start, the Star Spangled Banner would be played while scenes of American flags in battles and peacetime were on the screen and everyone would stand, either at attention or with†¦show more content†¦A man by the name of Gregory Lee Johnson was convicted of desecrating a flag in violation of Texas Law. He burned the flag rather than uttering insulting words, which would have been allowed under the first amendment. Bu rning a flag, according to Goldstein, is the preferred means of disposing of a flag when it is such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display. Burning a flag, as Johnson did, to express dissatisfaction with the policies of our country is the wrong way to express feeling. Other wrong ways to treat the flag is by spitting on, writing on, tearing up, or stepping on the flag. You may be asking yourself, what would possess a person to do any physical harm to one of our countrys most sacred objects? Well, as we saw in the Johnson case, it was because of his disgust in the USAs policies. Some may not only be disrespectful to the flag, but also to the political leaders in our country. Some may just be moral less. Others may think that desecrating the American flag would be a good way to show his or herShow MoreRelatedThe Flag Of The American Flag836 Words   |  4 PagesHow can a simple flag evoke so much patriotism and pride, even after this many years? Veterans may say the flag represents our freedoms- freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion. In 1985, at the Maryland Flag Day ceremony, President Reagan stated: â€Å"The colors of the flag signify the qualities of the human spirit, we Americans cherish. Red for courage and readiness to sacrifice; white for pure intentions and high ideals; blue for vigilance and justice.† At the presentation to CongressRead MoreBurning The American Flag : The Flag1852 Words   |  8 PagesAshley Lawrence Ms. Zlotziver ERWC 15 December 2015 Burning the American Flag â€Å"Old Glory,† otherwise known as the American Flag, has been a huge part of America s history and a representation of The United States of America. Ever since The American Flag has been around there have been countless debates about whether it should be a crime to burn or deface the flag. Throughout the world there are many places where defacing your country s symbol is considered a crime and considered disrespectfulRead MoreThe Burning Of The American Flag1040 Words   |  5 Pagesformer president Ronald Reagan. One of protesters, known as Gregory Lee Johnson, set an American flag on flames in order to express his opinions. The Texas law enforcement arrested him due to the fact he broke a state law which prohibits the burning of the American flag. Johnson appealed and escalated the case up to the federal Supreme Court. In 1989, The Supreme Court decided that the burning of the American flag was an act of one’s freedom of speech and that it was supported by the Con stitution. TheyRead MoreThe History Of The American Flag1557 Words   |  7 PagesHistory of The American Flag In this paper I am going to talk about the history of the American Flag and what makes it uniquely American. 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These flags have inspired those who desired the taste of freedom and have represented hope to those oppressed by tyranny and terror. These flags have welcomed any and all in the name of liberty. The American flag flies free to the wind. The American flag flies above residential porches, campsites, small businesses, corporateRead More Burning the American Flag Essay681 Words   |  3 PagesBurning the American Flag The American flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, with seven red stripes alternating among six white. In the upper left corner there is a rectangular blue space that contains fifty white stars. The thirteen stripes symbolize the thirteen original colonies of the United states of America and the stars represent the fifty states of the Union. White is said to symbolize purity and innocence. Red symbolizes strength and courage, and blue symbolizes vigilance, perseveranceRead More Patriotism and The American Flag Essay994 Words   |  4 Pagesiconography of the American flag in today’s society. Some believe patriotism is simply the act of supporting the decisions of the leaders of the country. Others say, to be patriotic, people should be outspoken and voice their oppositions to what is going on in the government. Opinions also differ on the idea of what the American flag represents. One opinion of the flags representation is that the flag represents our history, and the formerly mentioned idea of patriotism. Others believe the flag also representsRead MoreThe American Flag: Symbol of the Vanishing American Dream1069 Words   |  5 PagesWhen the flag was first made, it symbolized freedom and opportunity for both citizens of American and the immigrants. There was the dream that America was a place of freedom, where you could do what you want, say what you want, and get a job or own your own land. For some, that dream became a reality, but for many of those immigrants, it has proven to be just that, a dream. Is this piece of cloth we hold in such high regard simply an ironic symbol or the American dream? Does it truly symbolize freedom