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Trump has been repeatedly informed by those who know
that the phenomenon of kneeling by sports figures is not
about disrespecting the flag, the military or first
responders or this country.
He simply refuses to accept anything contra to his
alternate worldview of what he believes is right and fair;
and also for the political purpose that his berating of the
black athletes to his practically all-white base, plays
malevolently well in the "red states."
It matters not an iota to him that symbols and signs of
true disrespect of the flag are present virtually everywhere
in America and especially so in the production of products
that are used to sell everything from tractors to tissues.
Advertisers have sunk their nails into ads that show
the American flag affixed to so many consumer products that
one can take it for granted that such garish displays of
crass consumerism is the supposed norm of the land.
Tsk...tsk...tsk...Not so!
Believe it or not, there is a voluntary flag etiquette
that speaks to a standard of respect regarding the proper
display and usage of the American flag; and from that
standard of what should be accorded respect for the flag,
either standing or saluting, it is a voluntary and
non-punishable act.
Stage left and here enters Roy Moore, the Alabama
Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the
current Attorney General, Jeff Sessions.
If you google Roy Moore's scarlet history you can
safely gather that he is a person who seemingly was out to
lunch during his formative educational years of grades one
through high school.
Roy Moore, if elected, would be a senator who would
have a platform every day to gush forth his abysmal
ignorance on all things American. Talk about giving
Alabamans a severe case of political heartburn, Roy Moore
would leave no doubt that his antics and gibberish would
make the president seem like a polished and poised savant!
Roy Moore recently said that if you do kneel while the
national anthem is being played, you are violating the law
and are subject to criminal penalties.
Now remember, this is the former but disgraced chief
justice of the Alabama Supreme Court but yet he engages in
such reckless commentary that you must pause to realize that
this political Neanderthal will be in a position to make
decisions that could affect the quality of your life.
Be sure about this. Roy Moore had no legal basis to
utter that foolishness and when challenged to support the
legal legs for such an statement, he was only able to
"garble cabbage leaves."
For those who want something definitive on the subject
of mandatory versus permissive standing, kneeling or even
rolling on the ground during the playing of the national
anthem, there is the 1943 case law of West Va. Bd of Ed. v.
Barnett, which clearly indicated that there are no
requirements for anyone, under penalty of law, to stand,
salute, recite, sing or not to kneel.
This recent tempest in a teapot about the flag is a
political distraction by Trump and company to keep you
engaged in silly cultural wars while Rome is burning! Any
and all distractions will cause less questions and less
focus on what Trump and company are doing to damage
healthcare, the environment, safety regulations, civil
rights and educational reform.
As for the so called flag patriots who are quick to
blather over what they see as outrages against America by
which people do not show respect to the American flag,
I ask you, examine the below list and ask yourself do they
offend standards of respect for the flag?
(1) using the flag as a cap or hat or bandana.
(2) placing the flag on advertisements for the selling of
cars, boats and products made in America.
(3) using the flag stylized to be worn as a T-shirt, pants,
cuff links, Speedos, thongs, doormats, Halloween costumes
and tennis shoes, among a host of other flag bearing
products.
(4) flying the flag at night.
(5) flying a dirty or tattered flag.
(6) using the flag in any advertisement that sells beer,
cigarettes, wine or even lawn mowers.
(7) used on bumper stickers to promote your favorite
politico.
(8) used as background images on bank checks.
(9) cut up or photographed for use in mixed media formats
including artwork and posters and banners.
According to the standards of what is respectful of the
flag, the above categories are
in violation of those recommendations but yet where are the
Roy Moores and the Donald Trumps issuing scalding
denunciations of those manufacturers and consumers who
engage in such flag desecration on a daily basis?
They are not called, "SOB's!" They are not told that
unless they cease and desist from their crass profiteering
of the American flag, they will face his dire wrath!
So, when a Roy Moore wants to transport his woeful
ignorance from Alabama to the nation's capitol, be
forewarned that the cultural wars will only get more intense
as Moore and company and Trump and company form an unholy
alliance and really show out for their dysfunctional base of
supporters who engage in the above flag violations.
Remember, pledges to songs and flags do not a country
make and if your identity is tied up with a song or a flag
and someone "disses" you about it and you respond with fists
and curses and calls of, "SOB's!" you are a person most to
be pitied.
Contact Lafe Tolliver, attorney, at tolliver@juno.com
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