Ron Kind: “I rise to join in this serious debate over the First Amendment and our Nation's flag, two of the most sacred…”

“I rise to join in this serious debate over the First Amendment and our Nation's flag, two of the most sacred institutions to this country. America is somewhat unique in its devotion to the Nation's flag. Perhaps because we come from so many different backgrounds, cultural traditions, and ethnicities, we see the flag as a source of national unity. Like the majority of Americans, I have the utmost respect and reverence for our flag. For all of us, this reverence begins early on, when as school children we are taught the Pledge of Allegiance and recite it each day with our classmates. Or it begins when we attend a Memorial Day Parade with our parents and look in awe at the veterans, young and old, who still carry the flag with such pride. Seeing the flag treated with this reverence is a powerful lesson for our young people and makes them incredibly proud to be Americans. The times I have been most proud of my country have been during my two trips to Iraq. Seeing our young men and women in uniform carrying out their mission under dangerous and difficult conditions is an inspiring thing. Seeing their devotion to our flag and all that it represents makes me so grateful to have grown up in this country and to have some small part in helping our troops. I was struck, during my visits to the country, with how dedicated our servicemen and women are to helping everyday Iraqis.…”