Thomas Mott Osborne: “symbols matter. Certainly the cross has special meaning for millions of people. The menorah, the Koran, we saw that…”

“symbols matter. Certainly the cross has special meaning for millions of people. The menorah, the Koran, we saw that recently where false reports on desecration of the Koran led to riots and hundreds of people dying. The statue sometimes has special meaning. The symbolic meaning of the toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein was not lost on the Iraqi people or the other people around the world. Buildings have symbolic value. The buildings that were destroyed or attempted to be destroyed during 9/11 were not randomly chosen. The World Trade Center symbolized the U.S. economy. The Pentagon symbolized our military might; and probably this building was also targeted because it symbolized the government. And so for millions of Americans, the flag symbolizes the very essence of this country. It is more than fabric. It is what gives this Nation meaning. Millions have fought under this banner. Hundreds of thousands have died under the banner. Many have died on the battlefield simply protecting the flag itself, keeping it from being captured or from even hitting the ground. And so for 200 years, this was a commonly accepted understanding of the importance of the flag, the symbolic meaning of the flag. And then came two 5-4 Supreme Court decisions in the 1980s which allowed flag desecration under the banner of free speech, which has really offended a great many people in this country. I think an overwhelming number of States, more than 80 percent of U.S.…”