Today I saw a picture on Facebook of a man defecating on the US flag during a protest. The flag was on the ground and on fire, and the people around him were looking on in support. The group included a child who was laughing at the scene. I then read the ninety-something comments that were left all swearing openly at, or about, this man. All of them were negative, and many included comments from clearly uneducated people, no offense, and read with statements like, "disrespecting *MY* flag."
The more I read these comments the more angry I became and I honestly had to fight the urge not to comment and make everyone angrier. So instead, I'm going to make my point here, where I hope people are more open minded. Although judging from the "Intellectual" VF chat room, where the people have no idea how to use grammar and talk about who loves who, I may be mistaken.
First I'd like to say that I don't agree with what he did, but in light of all the things this country does to other people it has to be expected that some people will feel like this. To all of the comments suggesting that this man be sent to a third world country so he'll be grateful for what his country offers: If we support freedom so much than why is this man being attacked for using his rights? Why do we oppress the citizens of other countries? Why do we plot assassinations or coups in foreign countries to put our favorable candidate into power? Why are we forcing our way into the political affairs of a people we have nothing to do with? I understand that there's this idea that we're doing good but open your eyes and put it into perspective.
Secondly, it's a flag. It's not like he did this to a person. A great portion of the US was founded on the basis of religious freedom. Yet the Bible that held precedence over all aspects of life forbids idolatry. Isn't that exactly what is being done every morning that we force our children to pledge allegiance to a flag, for a nation "under God." It's worshiped more so than God in present times and in the times when we were a nation under God people would have been persecuted for the idolatry we display. On the subject of children, to the people whose comments were angry because a child was watching: The language you're using in a stream of comments that include some of the most violent things I, a crazed horror fan, have ever seen is worse for those children than seeing this image. In all honesty, at first you cannot even tell what the man is doing. Furthermore, every child on your Facebook is now seeing this image in their newsfeed because YOU commented on it.
Lastly, this man was a part of a protest. He was making a stand for what he believed in. He saw something happening in our society that he felt was wrong, and he had the courage to fight against it. The picture was not a recent photo. According to a few of the comments it was from an older protest, and because of that I do not know what he was protesting. However, the point still stands that he was aware and concerned about something outside of himself. This is more than can be said for the hundreds of thousands of people who ignore what's happening in the world. Who sit in their houses watching mindless television or COMMENTING ON FACEBOOK. This man thought about the bigger picture. I understand that there are people who honestly support the wars and other decisions the US has made. I fully respect those people for standing up for it if that is what they believe. But that does not give them the right to insult and threaten those with different beliefs. And for those who honestly have no idea what is happening outside their door: You have absolutely no right to say what you have about this man. You are oblivious and you do not try to improve on it. That is why I can say in all honesty, that I believe this man, defecating on a flag,in public, has more honor than you. Mood: Irritated
I'm thinking its time to delete my vf. Which with me usually just means I'll create a new one in a month. The point though- I never really use it, when I do I get hit on by the bad kind of pervert, and i usually only get on to listen to music which lately is failing. So...who knows, just giving a heads up though.
