I don’t know about you, but few things make my blood boil like seeing the American flag torched. We’ve seen it happen far too often, with radical protestors spitting on and burning Old Glory, their faces twisted with a special kind of stupid—a hatred for the very nation that grants them the freedom to protest. It’s a slap in the face to every veteran who fought for that flag and every citizen who still believes in what it represents.
Let’s be honest, we’ve all been thinking it. For years, law-abiding Americans have watched this garbage and felt that a line has been crossed. We’ve been waiting for a leader to finally stand up and say that enough is enough. We wanted someone to restore a little respect for our country.
From Fox News:
President Donald Trump’s new executive order targeting flag burning drew rare criticism from conservatives on Monday.
The executive order, announced on Monday, directs the attorney general to prosecute violations of laws involving flag desecration and to pursue litigation that would clarify the scope of the First Amendment as it relates to flag desecration. The order additionally directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to refer flag desecration cases that violate state and local laws to appropriate local authorities.
And then President Trump signed a new executive order and declared, “If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail, no early exits, no nothing.” But here’s where the story gets weird. The biggest backlash isn’t from the usual suspects on CNN. It’s coming from some of the smartest, toughest conservative voices out there.
Radio host Dana Loesch stated plainly that while flag burning is “vile,” the “government has no right to control speech or expression.” Commentator Erick Erickson reminded his followers that it is “well settled constitutional law that burning the flag is a matter of free speech.” These aren’t RINOs or Never-Trumpers; they are stalwart conservatives choosing principle over passion.
A Matter of Principle, Not Just Patriotism
Now, this isn’t about going soft on the America-hating crowd. Not at all. It’s about a fierce and unwavering commitment to the First Amendment—the very bedrock of our liberty. Do we really want to give the government the power to punish ideas? The moment we empower the state to punish expression we find offensive, we hand our enemies a weapon they will absolutely use against us.
This isn’t just an opinion; it’s the law of the land. In a landmark 1989 case, the Supreme Court ruled that flag burning is a form of symbolic speech protected by the Constitution. And if you don’t believe me, listen to the legend himself: Justice Antonin Scalia, a titan of conservative jurisprudence. When asked about the issue, Scalia famously said that if he were king, he would forbid it.
“However,” Scalia clarified, “we have a First Amendment, which says that the right of free speech shall not be abridged — and it is addressed in particular to speech critical of the government.”
Key Takeaways
- President Trump’s flag burning order has drawn fire from principled conservatives.
- Upholding the First Amendment is a core value, even for speech we find repulsive.
- Conservative icon Justice Scalia famously defended flag burning as protected speech.
- Executive orders can set dangerous precedents for future administrations.
