As we recognize the birthday of our nation, it's appropriate to reflect on the freedoms that make this nation the greatest in history. Many symbols represent the United States but none more universally than our flag. Most of us have pledged allegiance to that flag and many of us continue to do so on a regular basis. And yet there are a few among us who feel compelled to desecrate the flag by burning it or otherwise showing disrespect. Most Americans find that offensive at best, so once again, there's a movement afoot in the US Congress to amend the Constitution to ban desecration of the US flag.
Symbols are very subjective.
Every person develops a unique catalog of symbols and meanings based on his or her life experience. What means one thing to me may mean something entirely different to others. For example, consider the Confederate flag and the Georgia state flag. I continue to get e-mail from the Internet posting of that column. Some consider the Confederate flag a symbol of hatred.