Burning as Free Speech
Friday, June 30th, 2006I once witnessed a burning of an American flag.
Let me explain - it probably wasn’t the kind of “flag burning” that has so many conservatives (and their Congressional stooges) up in arms these days. There’s a story behind this, and I’m going to explain it to you so that you can understand it.
When I was a young teenager and a devoted Boy Scout, I attended several yearly summer camp events at a local Scout camp facility on the Oregon coast, known as Camp Meriwether. One year, we had all gathered around the big arena, with hundreds of young Scouts and their adult leaders and chaperones in the bleachers, for one of the nightly meetings. We usually had these for every night of a week-long summer camp, and most of the time ended up singing silly uplifting (but non-religious) campfire songs like “Up With People” or something like that. Thoroughly silly.
One night, the campfire agenda was very different. The camp leaders had announced that the old American flag, which had flown over Camp Meriwether’s main parade grounds, was battered and torn beyond all reasonable repair, and it was their solemn duty to retire the flag in the most honorable way possible.
Now, given that we had all been ingrained with respect for the American flag as young Scouts, we were loath to ever let it touch the ground, as that would have been a sign of disrespect. (I’m told that the U.S. Military works the same way.) So, instead of burying it to be eaten by the worms of the earth, hanging and displaying it for all to see its damage, or packing it in a box and letting it slowly rot and crumble, the Scout camp leaders had decided that the most honorable way to retire the flag was to burn it in a ceremony.
After this was explained, a large oblong bonfire was built in the middle of the arena, and the fire was brought up to a good roaring flame. (In later years, I would recognize the construction of this bonfire as that used to cremate soldiers in war, thanks to the magic of Hollywood.) The master of the ceremony requested that we remain silent during the ceremony, and not use any cameras or recording devices to record what we were about to see. At the time, we didn’t understand why.
Six of the most senior patrol leaders entered the arena, carrying the folded flag to be retired. As they slowly approached the bonfire, they briskly unfolded the flag, without letting it touch the sandy ground. Eventually three of the Scouts took their places on each of the long sides of the old flag, whereupon all six marched lengthwise towards the bonfire, holding the flag at chest-height.
I’ll never forget how the flames leaped up to consume the tattered and worn flag, which was carried straight over the burning branches and sticks, and gracefully released on cue to fall slowly, squarely, onto the bonfire. I’ll always remember how the Scouts each made sure that no corner or edge of the flag ever touched the ground as it was placed securely and lovingly into the fire.
That experience moved me greatly. Powerful doesn’t even begin to describe what I felt. For some time afterwards, as we watched the remnants of the flag be consumed by the flames, we all couldn’t speak, even afterwards as we were dismissed and hiked back to our respective campgrounds for the night. For we had witnessed the ceremonial burning of the primary symbol of liberty of this nation, yet it was done with the utmost respect, care, and love. And we all watched silently as the new U.S. flag was hoisted on the main flagpole, early the following morning, taking the place of its retired and ragged predecessor, yet still flapping in the coastal winds as an unchanging symbol of our nation’s standards.
If those six Scouts had been photographed or videotaped that night, I’m sure that somebody, somewhere, would have published it, and then whipped up 51% of this country into a frenzy over it. Who knows - if the flag-burning amendment had passed, they would probably have been branded as criminals.
My point is this: whether someone burns a flag in a respectful ceremony of retirement, or whether someone (for whatever their reasons) burns a flag as a gesture of hatred or anger against this nation - either way, we’re dealing with emotions and feelings which are too profound to ever be restricted under any law. No amendment, legislation or judicial ruling can ever hope to limit or change those emotions.
When someone burns a flag, they’re telling us that they have something to say, and we need to listen.