Protecting the Symbol of Our CountryOn June 12, 1997, the Flag Amendment passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 310 to 114. The Amendment gives Congress the right to prevent the physical desecration of the American flag. “Today's vote is clear evidence that the voice of the American people has been heard and listened to by the United States House of Representatives” (Flag Alliance, Inc. 1), says Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, head of Citizens Flag Alliance (CFA). Today, forty-nine state legislatures have made it clear to Congress that they want flag protection laws. However, not everyone is in favor of these laws. These “radicals” or “revolutionaries,” as they like to call themselves, believe that burning the flag is their constitutional right under the First Amendment: freedom of speech. (You may want to go ahead and establish your thesis here. It will appear in the next paragraph, and that's fine too though.) I strongly support the flag protection amendment. “The flag is a symbol of our great nation and all we stand for. No other American symbol has been so universally honored or conferred such honor as the flag” (Flag Alliance, Inc. 1), says Representative William Lipinski of Illinois. Those who destroy the flag or see it simply as a drawing on a piece of cloth do not understand our nation's history (AP) and take their American citizenship for granted. They burn the flag just to get attention, or because they are angry at the government, and see it as a way to get back at them. My solution to these people who are annoyed with our government is to move elsewhere. Try living in China or Cuba and see if you agree with the way they run their government. When you burn the flag you break the chains that hold you together in unity with the rest of the nation. (This is a pretty extreme metaphor. You need to clearly establish why flag desecration is so harmful. Also, look at your solution. This is also extreme. Can you effectively convince people who disagree with you by being so extreme? A little drama and emotion is fine. Remember that your audience will expect you to show open-mindedness, too.) An astonishing 81% of Americans support the amendment. This number shows the impact the flag has on our country.