Flag protection is an American tradition supported by the American people. Until 1989, desecration of Old Glory was neither protected by law nor tolerated by the people. The Supreme Court invalidated laws against flag desecration in 48 states and the District of Columbia in a 5-to-4 ruling in 1989. Yet opponents of a flag-protection constitutional amendment--"The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States"--suggest flag protection is a new idea.
Benjamin Zycher's July 2 commentary is one droplet of misinformation amid a torrent of elitist distortion. Fortunately, most Americans aren't buying his view. The amendment passed the House and is headed to a very close vote in the Senate. My 2.8-million-member American Legion and our 27 million partners in 139 other Citizens Flag Alliance groups stand with those who would restore our nation's flag-protection tradition, even if a constitutional amendment is the only avenue that remains for us.
