Virginia – When students at Franklin County High School in Virginia were told they could not fly the American flag from their trucks because it might be offensive – they did what any red-blooded American teenager would do: they flew the flag anyway.
The staff at ToddStarnes.com broke the story about this school in the area east of Roanoke and Christiansburg, where the flags displayed behind trucks have become a target for school administrators.
Earlier this week, an administrator at the Virginia school reportedly told several students that they could no longer fly Old Glory on their trucks because it was potentially “offensive” and “disruptive.”
Franklin County High School students showed up in unity on Tuesday displaying American flags on their vehicles after an administrator allegedly told them to remove them. Several local residents posted photos of the caravan driving through town with Old Glory waving in the breeze.
“My son called me from school saying that he saw an administrator around his truck and is now being called to the office,” the mother of one of the students said.
The mother said her son and two of his friends were told they could no longer fly their American flag on their trucks.
She says she received a call from the school principal Jon Crutchfield on that evening.
“He has apologized to the boys and told them that it is not against the rules to fly their flag on their truck. Apparently, it was a big misunderstanding that should have never gotten this far,” the mother said.
Local citizens commented on the parade of flag-bearing trucks.
“I love that we have young American students standing for our American Flag,” one citizen wrote on Facebook.
Issues with the American flag being considered “offensive” happen far more frequently than most people realize.
And with the level of protest surrounding Old Glory, some American leaders are looking to make it a felony to burn one.
Back in June, Republicans reintroduced a proposal calling for a ban on burning the American flag. It was immediately endorsed by President Trump.
“All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!,” the president wrote in a Twitter message.
All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019
The legislation being sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Steve Daines of Montana and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and in the House by Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas.
Today, #FlagDay, I introduced a Constitutional amendment w/ @SenKevinCramer to ban the desecration of the American Flag.
The American Flag is a symbol of freedom – and it should always be protected. ??
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) June 14, 2019
It calls for the U.S. Constitution to be amended in a way that would give Congress “constitutional authority to ban the desecration of the United States flag.”
Joined @SteveDaines on #FlagDay in introducing a Constitutional amendment to prohibit the desecration of the United States flag.
A flag worth dying for is a flag worth protecting. ?? pic.twitter.com/4NjedOSjDK
— Sen. Kevin Cramer (@SenKevinCramer) June 14, 2019
Kramer goes on:
“Adding a Constitutional amendment to protect this symbol of freedom and liberty is not an attack on another Constitutional amendment,” he continued, “rather, it is an affirmation of the unifying principles our nation stands for.”
While we should always be mindful of First Amendment rights, the American flag signifies the founding principles that countless men and women have given their lives to preserve.
— Sen. Kevin Cramer (@SenKevinCramer) June 14, 2019
The amendment is the only way to go about banning flag burning. That’s because the Supreme Court has ruled in the past that flag-burning is a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment.
Critics on social media were quick to attack the proposal.
“I love the “Red, White ,and Blue” and am a patriot. But I disagree with Trump’s demand that flag burning be criminalized in all settings,” wrote one person.
Another wrote:
“Please not this stupidity again. the supreme court has ruled that flag burning is constitutionally-protected speech. any such legislation would be unconstitutional. that a loudmouth internet nobody like me has to explain this to the president of the united states boggles the mind”
please not this stupidity again. the supreme court has ruled that flag burning is constitutionally-protected speech. any such legislation would be unconstitutional. that a loudmouth internet nobody like me has to explain this to the president of the united states boggles the mind
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) June 15, 2019
Some say an amendment like this would be an insult to the country and what we stand for.
“Because I respect the flag and all those who sacrificed so much for it, I would never even think for a moment to desecrate everything it stands for by supporting a dictatorial Constitutional Amendment to outlaw burning the American flag. That’s an insult to freedom and democracy.”
Because I respect the flag and all those who sacrificed so much for it, I would never even think for a moment to desecrate everything it stands for by supporting a dictatorial Constitutional Amendment to outlaw burning the American flag. That’s an insult to freedom and democracy.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) June 15, 2019
Here’s how the process works.
Amendments can be added to the Constitution if two-thirds of both the House and Senate agree on a proposal and then three-fourths of the states ratify it, or if two-thirds of state legislatures call a convention to propose changes to the Constitution, and then three-fourths of the states ratify the change.
Old Glory isn’t the only flag under attack, though. Members of Antifa seem to love getting the chance to torch the Thin Blue Line flag often flown by members of law enforcement and their supporters.
In December, in Seattle, Washington, Pro-Trump activists held a “Mega MAGA March” that was crashed by masked members of Antifa.
In a video that was released by New2Share’s YouTube channel (seen below), we’re immediately regaled with some black clad protesters who are attempting to ignite a Blue Lives Matter flag directly in front of the police.
Despite the copious number of unsavory things said throughout the over nine-minute video that would make most cringe, there was a moment of levity when police sprayed the ignited flag (and protesters) with a flame retardant to stop the initial burning.
However, from that point on, the demonstrators become more aggressive, and more intolerant toward police and those in support of the march.
Antifa members began following those who were participating in the march, claiming that those who are in support of Trump are “fascists” and likened Trump to Hitler by referring to him as the “fuhrer”.
Sources tell Law Enforcement Today that the administration within the Seattle police department has made it very clear… officers are not to “disrupt” the protestors.
“We’ve been instructed to let Antifa do their thing… up to and including physical violence. We can only step in when people really start getting hurt. It’s unreal,” said one officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Every recorded interaction of the video showcased one very common theme: Antifa is not a tolerant group by any means.
They call everyone who isn’t their ilk “fascists”, while literally employing the techniques that plagued Italy after the first world war. They converge and surround desolate people, attempt to intimidate them for not agreeing with them, and scream the obscenest things toward our men and women donning a uniform.
