This is in response to Leonard Carson's First Amendment right to "feel good and whole again" whenever someone exercises a "sacred right" to burn another American flag as a constitutionally protected exercise of freedom of speech. According to Carson, flag burning falls into the same category of protected expression as nude public dancing, obscene language, braless lesbian parades down public streets, couples copulating openly in public parks, etc.
It is Carson and activist liberal judges, not Hatch, who have forgotten their pledge to defend the Constitution and "lost their moorings." The First Amendment to the Constitution has been so tortured by these judges and history revisionists, like Carson, that there is literally no limit to what people can do or say in this era of class warfare. But just don't try to get away with telling a Bible story or mentioning Jesus Christ in a public school classroom.
Carson doesn't tell us whether he carried a rifle or a typewriter during his tour of Southeast Asia, and his 26 years of service seem to have convinced him that the American flag is of little or no significance to the men and women in the armed forces.
I was not a professional soldier like Carson. My Army tour was a little short of four years. But during that time, I was privileged to follow that flag all the way across Europe from Utah Beach to the Rhine River while picking up four battle stars in the process. I saw men fight and die to protect that flag and keep it from falling into enemy hands.
Hatch has many reasons for promoting his "flag amendment." You see, the senator lost a brother he loved dearly to enemy fire during World War II. When that brother died fighting for "flag and country," the impression it made on the 12-year-old who would become the senior senator from Utah was deep and lasting. And thank God there are more people of my generation (and the senator's) willing to honor and maintain the dignity of the flag than there are bleeding liberals, like Mr. Carson, whose constant vigil is for political correctness in every human endeavor.
Howard A. Matthews
Bountiful