I’d like to respond to a letter to the editor submitted by Michael Blazier that was printed on Oct. 13.

I, too, am saddened when I see American citizens burning an American flag. But the reason it makes me sad is that they are defacing a symbol of freedom and integrity or being disrespectful to those who bravely fought in the past for the freedom we often take for granted today (that is, unless defacers have no other intent than to vandalize). The reason for my sadness is that I am reminded that even in a country as great as ours, there is still a lot of work to be done.

You’re right. We don’t allow people to destroy Lady Liberty, and we shouldn’t. She is there to remind us that liberty and justice are valuable and that we must fight for them. We also don’t allow people to kill American eagles. Hopefully the reason for that is that we recognize how precious life is.

Personally speaking, I see the American flag as a continuing symbol, not only of the fight for freedom in the past, but of the tiresome fight that continues today. The simple fact that we’re not at war does not mean that all is well across the nation.

Perhaps Mr. Blazier could think a little harder about that picture in his history book. All of those soldiers who died at war died for a reason. Rather than restricting flag-burning, it seems to me a more befitting way to preserve those soldiers’ honor would be to take the hint and join in the ongoing fight to make this the best nation on the face of the earth. When I see an American flag flapping in the breeze, I want to know it’s because we are doing our best to end the strife still plaguing this country. Maybe our leaders, instead of curbing the activity of the flag burners, could listen to what they have to say and act accordingly on the real problems at hand.

Nora Hendren

Senior

English