American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt praises President-elect Donald Trump for his support of the American flag. In a tweet, Mr. Trump said, “Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!”
American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt praises President-elect Donald Trump for his support of the American flag. In a tweet, Mr. Trump said, “Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!”
As the leader of the nation’s largest veterans service organization, Schmidt said, “Our brothers and sisters in arms have shed blood, even paid the ultimate sacrifice, in defense of our nation. The American flag represents their sacrifice and our nation’s way of freedom. No one should tolerate desecration of the American flag.”
The American Legion strongly advocates for a constitutional ban on flag burning, and calls on the new commander in chief to support such a ban with the following wording, “Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.”
There is strong support for such a law. Every U.S. state has passed memorializing resolutions to ratify a constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration. Additionally, the House of Representatives has passed an amendment six times by supermajorities, only to see it fall short in the Senate – by just one vote the last time it reached the floor.
“It’s time to protect Old Glory from being burned or otherwise desecrated by protesters,” Schmidt said. “We are not against civil protest or demonstrations. However, these protesters are not burning a piece of cloth. They are desecrating the sacrifice and honor of all past, present and future servicemembers and their family members, who have given so much to this great nation.”
The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans service organization with 2.2 million members in more than 13,000 posts in communities across America. The Legion, established by an act of Congress in 1919, was instrumental in getting the original GI Bill through Congress and the creation of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Press Release