Perspective | Veterans don’t get to decide what ‘respecting the flag’ means
As a veteran I have been troubled by this idea that as a group we have the moral authority to claim our country’s iconography as righteously ours. That perceived disrespect towards our nation’s symbols is also a direct affront to those who have served in the military. As the author in this Washington Post Column points out, “This reasoning is rooted in a premise that is both wrong and dangerous.” Veterans have no greater right to claim these symbols as our own. To the contrary, these symbols belong to every American not just those who serve or who have served in the Armed Forces. They are uniquely American and belong “equally to all citizens, including Americans who kneel during the anthem, or those who wear flag shirts (which is also in violation of the unenforceable flag code), or even those who burn the flag.” The America that I live in includes people who deserved to be recognized for their efforts to continue the American Story. This includes educators, clergy, business owners, civil servants, and even protesters
“If we accept the idea that the military and veterans have authority over American symbols, we enforce a very narrow minority view of America and the American experience. Our cultural fabric is as rich as it is because the American myth has been interpreted, reinterpreted, criticized, praised and challenged by Americans of all backgrounds.”
To be sure, both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars have released statements condemning kneeling during the national anthem to Nike’s decision to feature Colin Kaepernick in their newest ad campaign. One could argue that they would be the leading voice on this issue for Veterans. Yet, the membership of these two veteran groups make up less than 20% of the nearly 20 Million Veterans in the United States. So it is hard to claim them as an authoritative voice for Veterans - they do not necessarily speak for me.
Furthermore, I really do not believe veterans are leading the outrage. In fact, I believe my fellow Veterans and I are being used as a political prop by those with far less moral authority. The author of this OpEd failed to identify this other group of individuals who have shown massive public outrage over kneeling during the anthem as well as Nike’s actions. In fact, I believe it is this group who represent the largest voice of disapproval and perhaps exceed the number of veterans who have voiced their indignation:
Conservatives who have never served in the military.
If anything, I am more upset by those who claim that unpatriotic acts - that are protected by free speech - are disrespectful to Veterans. I am especially insulted by people who have never served who make those claims - as if they understand what sacrifice or service really means. As the author states, “believing that we have a special claim to the flag conflicts with the fundamental values of the armed forces, which elevate service over self.” This is clearly something that those leading the public outrage fail to understand - especially if they have never served. The irony is that the individual leading this lacks any moral authority despite the office he holds. Yet President Trump knows that it will score him points with his base. Although there are veterans who do agree with him on this issue, it really is the remainder of his base who never served that irritate me the most.
Unfortunately, this fight will not go away. And those with little to no moral authority will continue to lead this false battle. In the meantime, we need to stop allowing veterans and the military to be used as pawns to divide our nation.