Letter to the Editor: What does our flag stand for?

To the Editor:
Our American flag is a symbol. The symbol of our country. She’s recognized throughout the world. Feared by some, loved by others and, hopefully, respected by all. It’s proudly flown in parades. She’s been carried by our military personnel at the forefront in battles and wars this country has engaged in, whether you agreed with the war or not. She’s adorned the coffins of fallen soldiers and national leaders. It proudly and boldly flies in front of government offices. Many churches display the colors near the front of their sanctuaries. We have postage stamps commemorating her. Occupational uniforms of many Americans are decorated with the red, white and blue.
I’d like to think that all Americans would feel that our flag stands for everything that’s good and right with our great nation. A guaranteed right we all enjoy while living under our constitution is free speech. We can berate our politicians, our country’s laws, our neighbors and our national doctrine without fear of government reprisal.
Some of these “challenges” are constructive. Others, not so much. But all of this freedom has some personal responsibility attached. The word “respect” about covers it. There’s one public show of disrespect that is unconscionable. Purposely and vehemently defacing our flag. There are only two reasons to do such a thing. 1) The individual is so ignorant of what our flag stands for that an excuse may be drawn for them. 2) Pure disdain, hate, disrespect and loathing for her and the country she stands for.
If a, so-called by name only, U.S. citizen despises our country so much that dancing on, burning or publicly destroying our flag seems like the right thing to do, I have a simple answer. Use our tax dollars to issue them an exit visa and a plane ticket to whatever “utopian” country they wish to escape to. And part of that deal is that they never are allowed to set a foot on U.S. soil for as long as they live. Period.
Good luck “escaping American tyranny” to living peaceably in some countries while displaying this kind of disrespectful civil behavior.

Gene Averhoff
Dorchester