Rita F. Silva: Desecrating the flag should be a federal crime
Brian David Sumner is being tried for vandalism for marking the Fresno Police Department’s memorial with chalk. I have great respect for law enforcement and he should be held responsible for what he did. He claims that he was exercising his freedom of speech; the authorities dispute this.
What I don’t understand is that people can burn or desecrate the American flag and it is considered freedom of speech. You can’t have it both ways. It is vandalism, no matter which monument or symbol you vandalize. If the law applies to a police monument, then it should also apply to the American flag. The American flag is our oldest and most revered symbol and it deserves respect, no matter what you think about our government. My family has fought in every war from the Revolution through Vietnam; many Americans have died protecting the flag and it is time to honor their sacrifice by making it’s desecration a federal crime – not freedom of speech.
Rita F. Silva, Los Banos
This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Rita F. Silva: Desecrating the flag should be a federal crime."