There are numerous videos of people burning, stomping on, cutting up, and just plain destroying the American flag. These videos sicken and anger me. If you are able to destroy the American flag, I question your character. I question whether or not you even have a soul. One thing is for certain, you have never been on the receiving end of the perfectly folded up American flag at a military funeral.

I was a young bride, and a young widow. My late husband was a young veteran. I don’t remember much from his funeral, but I remember the hauntingly beautiful sound of taps. I remember watching the flag that had adorned his casket being folded into the signature triangle. I remember being handed the flag, and the heaviness of its meaning weighing on my very soul. My husband fought for his county. He loved his country, and served it with everything he had. He respected his country, her flag, and the President.

When you stomp on our flag, when you light her on fire, rip her into shreds, when you destroy our flag, you are stomping on our loved ones who died protecting you. Here’s the truth, if you are the type of person who will destroy her, then you are the type of person who couldn’t care less about the men and women who died protecting her. You are selfish, short-sighted, and a disgrace. My husband died for your freedom to be an ignorant asshole, and I can only hope that one day you wake up filled with shame and change your behavior. In the meantime, I hope there are consequences for desecrating our flag.