American Flag: Love It Or Burn It

U. S. Flag - Symbol of Freedom

The concern for protecting our American flag and the debate over flag desecration has been going on since the end of the Civil War.

It became such an issue of concern that 48 states passed laws making flag desecration illegal. Most of these state statutes made it illegal to deface our American flag in any way, using the flag for advertising purposes, publicly burning, spitting on, or otherwise showing disrespect for the flag.

In 1907 our U. S. Supreme Court upheld these state laws with an 8 to 1 ruling in a case where a Nebraska bottling company owner sold a bottle of beer with the American flag printed on the label.

The decision of the Supreme Court reads, in part:

"For that flag every true American has not simply an appreciation, but a deep affection. No American, nor any foreign-born person who enjoys the privileges of American citizenship, ever looks upon it without taking pride in the fact that he lives under this free government."  (Source: U. S. Supreme Court - Halter v. Nebraska)

In 1968, our U. S. Congress passed the "Federal Flag Desecration Law" in response to a flag burning incident in protest of the Viet Nam war.

So, up until 1968 our American flag was highly respected, appreciated and protected, but that was soon to change.