After President Trump signed an executive order to punish those who burn the American flag, in defying the order, the 22-year army veteran Jay Carey burned an American flag in front of the White House. The Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. Johnson in 1989 that the First Amendment protects burning the flag, which is freedom of expression. Carey indeed is protected from prosecution for burning the flag, but, according to CBS news, he faces different charges, such as lighting fire and damaging property,
The privileges of living under a democratic system are freedom of expression, right to assemble, protest against the government, and oppose an order or a law publicly and peacefully without being prosecuted. It has been a common practice for people in America to protest and express their opposition with agitation to the U.S government. Both the Democratic and the Republican Party and the President are not immune from criticism, opposition, and outrage of American people.
Carey fits in the same category of American citizens practicing his right to protest and express his opposition to the President of the U.S, but he missed the point and took a wrong trend in his protesting by burning the American flag. Considering the American flag as a symbol of the United States that is, regardless of Democrats and Republicans, a nation for all. The anger toward a Democrat or a Republican President should not be the factor to burn the American flag.
The extreme mindsets of right and left wing have been damaging the relationship between people and dividing the communities to a degree that the individuals are defined based on their political affiliation instead of their principles. The political tension in America has created an irritable environment, which was observed in Carey’s action. Obviously, Carey’s action in flag burning was driven from anger toward President Trump for signing an executive order to prohibit such an action.
But in fact, the President’s executive order is only a temporary, which can be overturned or stopped through different methods. The next president can overturn it, by congress in passing a law to invalidate it, or to be stopped by the federal court if it violates the U.S Constitution.
Apparently, anger and hate can drive a human to commit an uncivilized action, and perhaps sometimes turn to violence as it has been seen not only in American society but even in other democratic societies across the world. Carey is not the first case in flag burning and protesting the President.
It is noteworthy that the flag burning is traced back to 1800, as in a protest in Mississippi in 1861 the American flag was burned (History.com, Dave Roos). Also, in 1967, the protesters burned the American flag in New York City to protest the Vietnam War (History.com, Dave Roos). However, the issue is not what Carey was protesting for or against but the concern is that by burning the American flag, he has unwillingly committed the same action as American enemies are committing in burning the American flag abroad.
People have been missing the main point as they are protesting for a cause but aiming at the wrong target. In defense of his flag burning, Carey said, “I’m doing it for every single one of you American citizens. We burn this flag in protest to that president…”
The American flag does not represent Trump specifically as much as it represents the American people, the land, and the Constitution. In fact, not all Americans are willing to burn the flag.
