3.04 Interest Group Position Honors

The Citizens Flag Alliance (CFA) is a national organization, started in 1989 by the American Legion, that seeks out to give people their right to protect the American flag, and to defend it. Flag desecration, in terms of the American flag, is where the flag is abused/destroyed. The American flag is what represents our country. The red stripes represent the blood shed by those who gave their lives defending their country. The white stripes represent our independence, and the blue stripes represent justice for all. Our flag is not just a piece of material, it carries so much along with it.

This organization was founded because millions of people have signed petitions to Congress asking them to pass an amendment to protect the flag. Also, through dozens of surveys conducted since 1989, nearly 80% Americans support this kind of legislation. Over 100 organizations, that represent Americans, have joined forces with the CFA. Since its founding, over 200,000 people have contributed to this organization, and that number continues to grow every day. This organization is a nonpartisan organization, so it does not have ties to a specific political party.

In 1989, the Supreme Court was given a case that divided society. That case was known as Texas v. Johnson. Gregory Lee Johnson was arrested for burning an American flag outside of a Texas convention center. He did this to protest against the policies set in place by Ronald Reagan. He was arrested for violating a Texas statute that preventing this kind of thing from happening, and his defense what that “his actions were symbolic speech.” In the end, the decision was that he was allowed to do this. This most likely is a decision that the CFA would not have supported.

The CFA not supporting this decision can be understood. Yes, it is an expression of how you feel, however it also is an insult to all of those who gave their lives, defending our country, for that flag to fly every day. Let’s say a loved one close to you was in the Armed Forces and was killed. Would you like it if you went outside and saw someone burning a flag? The very thing that represents what your loved one fought to defend. Again, it can be understood that this is a way for Mr. Johnson to express how he was frustrated with President Reagan’s policies, however there is a much deeper meaning to what it means when a flag is abused.