And Just Like That Everyone is Talking About Flag Burning
Early yesterday, when I heard that a gentleman burned an American flag at a protest, I didn’t give it much thought. I certainly didn’t bat an eye. When I later heard that an alderman was at the protest at which the flag was burned (I heard no mention that he participated in the burning), I still did not raise an eyebrow.
However, when I read that members of the Chicago City Council wanted to censure the aforementioned alderman, Byron Sigcho-Lopez, well that caught my attention.
Just for clarity and disclosure, I don’t have a relationship with Alderman Sigcho-Lopez. I’ve met him perhaps twice in passing, and the only conversation I’ve had with him was at the Inaugural Gala for Mayor Brandon Johnson. I thanked him, alongside another District Councilor for his support of the ECPS ordinance and all of the folks who decided to run. Beyond that, I do know that he is a bit of a polarizing figure. I’ve met people who say he’s alright, and people who say he’s not. Beyond that, he’s a higher profile alderman due to being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is a member of the Socialist Caucus.
So the alderman attends a protest. The protest in question was against the ongoing American support of Israel, and to protest the ongoing genocide in Gaza. At some point in this endeavor, a US Marine Veteran lights an American flag on fire. End of story.
Upon reading more about what happened, and still trying to understand why City council members are all in a twist, I had to take some time to go back and read about the history of flag burning. Flag burning as a form of protest evolved out of condemnation of the Vietnam War. It is also protected speech under the Supreme Court case Texas V. Johnson.
So what are we really talking about?
Well, political grandstanding and pseudo-patriotic politics.
“I don’t care about your free speech! That flag is sacred!”
The flag is not sacred. It’s a piece of cloth. It’s supposed to be a reminder of our values and the better parts of our nature, but we are staring down a second presidential term of a man who has openly insinuated we should just bag the Constitution and dive head first into autocracy and authoritarianism. If that didn’t make you dive under your desk and tremble in fear, I don’t want to hear s**t about a flag. The flag isn’t protected. The act of burning it is.
But i know. Nothing gets hearts pumping like a little flag waving, and a few rounds of God Bless America.
Burning the American flag is legal. Period.
Now, let me say that you should also read Neil Steinberg’s article on this situation. It is perfect. The quote of the year:
“Really? You'd stand, hands in your pockets, gazing at the sky and whistling while free speech gets mugged in an alley? So you don't risk looking bad?”
T’he only thing I have to add is lived experience. I am a veteran, US Army. Much like the aforementioned Marine Vet, I also spent time in Afghanistan. I spent 9 months getting shot at, trying not to get my ass blown off, watching other people get their asses blown off, coming home and having nightmares of seeing other people get their asses blown off…you get the idea.
I’m not even going to blow smoke in your ear about fighting for freedom, but American soldiers, at any point in history, have taken an oath, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, and bearing true faith and allegiance to the Constitution.
That means that they serve, endure and die, so that people can have and exercise First Amendment rights. And far more offensive than the burning of a flag, are those who aim to stifle those rights. That’s the really gross action in this entire melee.
The outcry to censure Alderman Sigcho-Lopez is ridiculous. It’s grandstanding at its finest, and it’s sad to see Chicago politicians taking cues from the likes of Donald Trump in exercises in bombastic despotism. Councilmen…you want to protect something? Protect free speech. Protect people who dare to raise their voices to speak, particularly when it is against the system. Protect the right and ability to have divergent thoughts and points of view. Protect the table of discourse and ideas, rather than put a hatchet to it and sprinkle on lighter fluid for good measure.
All of those things are far more important than a tri-colored piece of cloth. Any day.
Photo by Andy Watkins on Unsplash
Resources:
ACLU History: Flag Burning
