Reason and Rhetoric on Flag Burning and Free Speech

My heart aches! Yes, I cannot believe that our country has come to the point where our flag, in our own United States, is not respected, protected, and, yes, venerated by our people.

We criticize other countries that desecrate our flag, that almost act uncivilized in a lot of ways and yet these other people from other countries do respect their country’s flag.

This country has taken in many people from all over the world, and yet if you have occasion to speak to these people they speak very fondly of their flag.

Our neighbor to the south, Mexico, not long ago, fined a well-known entertainer because he forgot the words to the national anthem when he sang at a public gathering.

I am an American of Mexican descent, and my parents taught me to respect the United States flag and not to offend it by any of my actions or words.

The Supreme Court’s decision of last June regarding so-called “right of free” speech stinks; it has nothing to do with “free speech”--it has to do with respect of our national symbol.

ESTHER RODARTE

Los Angeles