In My Unpopular Opinion

Burning or walking across the flag has become a symbol of protest against Trump in many locations across the United States.
Photo Courtesy of NY Daily News

As many of you reading this are probably aware, as of last Tuesday night America has a new President-elect. And it is not the candidate that many of us thought it would be: Donald J. Trump.

    Trump ran his campaign purely on divisive and hateful language against many minority groups that already have a lot to fear. He has directly spoken out against Muslims and Immigrants, has been proven to disrespect and assault Women - more than thirteen women have come forward saying that he sexually assaulted them and one woman filed charges against him for raping her at the age of thirteen - and has indirectly put a target upon Jews and African-Americans - through his accepted endorsement from the KKK - and the LGBTQIA community in the form of his choice of a running-mate, Mike Pence – who is an outspoken homophobe and supporter of conversion therapy.

    So, it is not simply the fact that people are upset at the results of the election. We are genuinely in fear for our lives and freedoms. The day after his election to office, there were reports on Twitter of women wearing the hijab being threatened, African-Americans being threatened, immigrants being threatened, women being threatened, LGBTQIA people being threatened; and sometimes it didn’t just stay at words, some people were actively assaulted.

    Are you beginning to see a pattern here yet?

    I may pass as your average American white girl, but as a Demi-sexual, Jewish woman who is an adult survivor of childhood sexual assault, I find this entire series of events reprehensible. So, I think it’s time for my – probably unpopular – opinion.

    There have been many reactions to Trump’s election to office. There are reports of Trans youth threatening to commit or having already committed suicide due to the fear and depression this decision brings for them. We have also begun to see protests across America. People are gathering, sometimes in front of one of Trump’s many failed business and buildings. These are peaceful marches. They carry signs plastered with slogans such as “love trumps hate,” “Not OKKK “America”,” “Make America SAFE Again,” and – something many privileged conservatives and mostly white males have been saying for the past eight years of the Obama Administration – “Not My President.” They are not inciting violence. They are not attacking Trump supporters. They are gathering together to offer comfort to one another in the face of an America that not only seems to no longer care about them, but for some people is actively no longer safe for them. During some of these protests, people have begun burning the American flag.

    This is allowed.

    Burning of the American Flag is an accepted form of political protest and symbolic speech in the eyes of the Supreme Court. Texas v. Johnson made it so back in 1989. In a five-four reasoning from the Supreme Court “freedom of speech protects actions that society may find very offensive, but society’s outrage alone is not justification for suppressing free speech.” In this case the flag burning is not only symbolic, it is political. Political speech is the most protected form of speech here in America. It is an integral part of our rights and freedoms to criticize our government and our nation.

    There have been people insulting and denigrating those seen burning the American flag in recent days, telling them if they don’t like what’s going on then they should leave, saying that our veterans died for that flag.

    Veterans did not die for the American flag; they do not go to war for a piece of colored fabric. Our veterans and Armed Forces go to war and sacrifice their lives to protect the rights and freedoms of American citizens and people all over the world. So, when the American flag stops being representative of these freedoms, what can we do? Are we expected to respect a symbol that now stands to a great many of us as a symbol of exactly how sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, and intolerant America has recently been revealed to be?

    No. I don’t think we are.