Banning The American Flag Persuasive Speech

It is a question of dire significance. Some Americans stand for freedom; many of their fellow countrymen stand for patriotism. How many men have died – sometimes alone, and so brutally – serving under this banner? Is it not an insult to their names, to the very nature of the loss so many families undergo when such men are lost, to allow this symbol of freedom to be dishonored or destroyed? These arguments and many more have been made for the safety of the American flag. The destruction of something so vastly symbolic and well-loved in the history of this country is enough to drive many to the ends of their ropes in a matter of moments. However, amongst the blasting anger and tirade of set, preconceived, and as of the present, tried-and-true

It is true that the American flag is important. One would be insane to step forward and suggest it is merely a piece of cloth, unimportant in the long scheme of things. The flag has given Americans courage and strength for generations upon generations, and to treat it lightly is truly in bad taste. However, since when has America’s focus been set upon taste and manners? We are a respectable country, to be certain, but what sets us apart is our freedom. Desecrating the American flag is not something many smile upon, but banning this action would be like banning anything else disrespectful in this country. If disrespecting the flag is legally disallowed, how long might we expect to have before the next ban based upon government principals and worthy “ideals” is passed? One can only imagine how long it would be, should such a law persist, before other supporters of unpopular ideas are being fined, sued, or even taken into custody for what may be unsavory activities, but at the end of the day remain simply freedom of expression. It is important to realize that a law based on popular ideals is a doorway to the oppression of the

While all humans are emotional beings, all humans are also so entirely different that following this course of action in legal matters would end in dissent, divide, and ultimate disaster. Emotional idealism is not the foundation of our country. It is not what we fought for a century and a half ago when we separated from Britain and became our own independent, truly free nation, and it is not what we fight for today. We fight for individual liberty. We fight for the right to be respectful if we want to; for the right to express ourselves; for the right to stand up for what we believe. Of course, while this all sounds utopic, freedom does not come without sacrifice. The sacrifice we make is not a few choice emotionally driven laws, but it is that we must tolerate the freedom of our neighbor. We do, of course, maintain the right to be angry when we see acts that offend us, and we have the right to express our anger, as long as our expression is not physically harmful. It is true that no flag belonging to another person may be desecrated by one who is not that flag’s owner, just the same as any other object owned by a person who is not oneself may not be desecrated by a stranger. The flag, nonetheless, when honestly bought or created by