By SJ Otto
It is my sincere desire that the US and its people stop the senseless worship of the US flag as a sacred symbol. It has led to mass stupidity. The latest act of stupidity includes threats made against a high school student for stepping on the American flag. The picture went viral and now the school this kid went to has to beef up security over threats made to him.
What kind of a country encourages violence against a school kid for a simple act of stepping on a piece of cloth? That is actually protected fee speech as ruled by theUS Supreme Court. Since when is it an act of patriotism to pick a fight with or to harm a high school student? What is so patriotic about violence to a minor?
The boy’s family has profusely apologized over and over trying to defuse all the criticism and threats. It is known that a lot of red neck bullies around the country have demanded that people who desecrate the flag in anyway go to jail. They claim they have “fought for that flag.” It is too bad such militaristic bullies didn’t fight for the freedom they claim their flag represents. A flag that is treated as a religious icon can’t possibly stand for real freedom.
When people in this country get so upset over a flag it reminds me of Nazi German with their swastika flags draped all over the country. They held their flags in reverence also. But they did not claim their flag represented freedom—it did not. And today—neither does the US flag.
The CNN article below says: “The school district is investigating the incident.” So what can they do to a kid for stepping on a piece of cloth? The whole incident is ridiculous.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, PA (WJAC/Facebook/CNN) - The photo of a high school student standing on the American flag has gone viral and sparked outrage across the country.
Now the student's family says the boy is sorry for what he did.
A woman identifying herself as the boy's half-sister says the boy told her he knew his actions would result in consequences.
"He's very, very, very sorry about what he did," she said. "And he said that he is going to try everything that he can to get the forgiveness of the community."
Also:
“After you teach your students the history of America and everything that flag represents, feel free to offer them the option to move to any other country in the world that they feel would fit their needs. I know over 30,000 Navy veterans that would probably be happy to provide them with a one way ticket,” Marie Ellsworth wrote on the school’s Facebook page on Sunday.
“Disgusting. Insulting to those who gave their life for our country. Spoiled brats. Welcome them to go to another country,” said Sharon Fetterman Fiala.
“If my kids did this they would be beat till they bled just like the men and women who fight for that flag!” added Missy Units.
Police and school officials told WJAC 6 on Sunday that an investigation into the incident is underway.
A member of the American Civil Liberties Union, however, had a far different reaction than local parents.
“The message this picture sends is not justification to punish the students so the school needs to tread very carefully here,” ACLU of Pennsylvania legal director Witold Walczak told the NBC affiliate. He said it would “probably” be feasible to punish the students for vandalizing school property.
The district superintendent and district solicitor updated the school’s Facebook page as the story went viral.
“The Richland School District has become aware of this unfortunate and unpatriotic picture posed by some of its students,” the post read. “This type of picture does not represent the opinion of the District or of its overall student population. The District promises a timely and thorough review of this incident and will implement appropriate legal discipline.”