A university student’s disgraceful art experiment left out one important variable: resistance from a determined American Legionnaire.
Susan Crane, a 40-year-old education major at the University of Maine at Farmington, displayed a series of U.S. Flags on the floor of a student center hallway on campus April 15.
“My purpose was to figure out how people felt about the flag and (I) gave them a choice to walk around it,” she said.
Enter Vietnam veteran Charles Bennett. The American Legion Commander of Maine’s District 4 tried to remove the flags from the floor but university officials threatened to arrest him. Video shows that the veteran stood his ground, however, as he stood in front of Old Glory discouraging many students from stepping on it. Many others, however, found other flags to trample on.
“I am protecting them,” Bennett said of the flags. “I am stopping people from walking on them. It is against the law to put the flag on the floors.”
While the U.S. flag code does not carry criminal penalties, flag desecration laws were unfortunately overturned by the Supreme Court’s dubious Texas v. Johnson decision in 1989. The American Legion and the Citizens Flag Alliance have been working tirelessly ever since to pass a flag protection amendment that would give Congress the authority to protect the U.S. Flag from desecration. The measure fell only one vote short of the needed two-thirds majority in 2006, the last time the Senate voted on it.
Currently, the proposed flag amendment sits in the U.S. House of Representatives where Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., is the sponsor of H.J. Resolution 12, which is backed by The American Legion.
Back in Farmington, the offensive “art” exhibit has been removed before its intended deadline not because of bad taste but because a local fire official deemed it a safety hazard.
Comments (15)
How can members... BEST support H.J. Resolution 12 ?
Posted by John Weymouth | 04/22/08 10:34 AM |
Grant you free speech and constitutional rights, the ones who have earned that right to display this type of ‘art’ for interpretations are veterans. As a veteran myself witnessed my fellow friends killed defending this flag and what it represents, I can say that no veteran will tolerate this! If the college students want to step on this flag, let them fight to defend it first. After she put herself in harms’ way, hold her fellow servicemembers as they bleed to death, then we give her the choice to do as she pleases. Not until she has earned it and understands the full intention of this so-called ‘art’.
Posted by | 04/22/08 10:58 AM |
A lesson about the Flag Code!!!
On the 100th anniversary of their very first game, the Chicago Cubs were in Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. Before the Dodgers went to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning, two protesters ran onto the field and prepared to set fire to an American flag. That was when Cubs center fielder Rick Monday swooped in and picked up the flag, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.
"If he's going to burn a flag, he better not do it in front of somebody who doesn't appreciate it," said Monday, who spent six years in the Marines.
"I've visited enough veterans' hospitals and seen enough guys with their legs blown off defending that flag."
The flag rescue put Rick Monday on the map. May 4th was declared "Rick Monday Day" in Illinois, and he was suddenly relevant to the population outside the sports world. The image of him swiping the flag was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and is still recognizable more than thirty years later. Major League Baseball declared it one of the league's 100 greatest moments. In 2006, the U.S. Senate honored Monday for the thirtieth anniversary of the event.
It's too bad Rick Monday wasn't there that day,to give a 40-year-old an education about the Flag Code...
A proud member of "The American Legion Auxiliary"
Posted by Annie V. | 04/22/08 12:24 PM |
John,
The best way to support HJ Res 12 is to call and write your congressman. Encourage him or her to insist that Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., hold a hearing and a vote for it. Encourage your Senators to introduce a flag protection amendment (not law, they have already been deemed "unconstitutional"). Write letters to the editors of your local newspapers. Tell like-minded friends to the same. Action will only be taken if our voices are heard!
Posted by Jack R | 04/22/08 12:37 PM |
Thanks Everyone , I did what any other Veteran would do to protect our flag .
Posted by Charles H. Bennett | 04/22/08 4:07 PM |
I am a Vet and proud of it. I came across this site by accident, it made me feel ashamed that our country's educational system would allow this to happen. This is not what I pay taxes for and certainly not what I gave 4 1/2 yeas of my life for.
HOW CAN I HELP STOP THIS from ever happening again.
Dale Bruton, Longview, Washington
Posted by Gordon Dale Bruton Sr. | 04/22/08 7:28 PM |
What a shock to see the stars and stripes displayed in such a disrespectful fashion and catorgorized as an "art project". To see young students standing on a flag like a door mat was totally uncalled for. I salute Commander Bennett for standing up for the American flag and what it represents. I emailed my disapproval to the two persons that were in the video and who were against Commander Bennett. Here's thier names and email addresses
Theo Kalikow, President
kalikow@maine.edu
Allen Berger, VP Academic Affairs
aberger@maine.edu
Let them know your disapproval for displaying the flag on the floor and having students standing and walking on top of them.
Posted by Jim Morton | 04/23/08 3:15 PM |
Thank you Charles Bennett for your ongoing service to our country and flag. I would be honored to stand with you any day.
Lee A. Heavener
Army Veteran
Patriot Guard Riders
Posted by Lee A Heavener | 05/01/08 8:28 PM |
This is just one of the reasons we do what we do.
Commander Bennett, You Sir, are a HERO,and I,for one, salute you, and the young man who so proudly stood by your side to protect this symbol of our nation, but also everything that you and all of our veterans and military have fought for so that all may be free.
Posted by John Vincent | 05/01/08 9:00 PM |
Thank you for standing up for our Flag,our men and women in uniform and our Country. I would have loved to have been there standing with you. ((SALUTE)).
Wanda Conley Frye
U.S. ARMY VET
PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS
Posted by Wanda C. Frye | 05/01/08 9:14 PM |
Charles Bennett
Thank you for your standing against this insane educational system madness.
I too would be honored to stand with you any day with my "piece of cloth"!
Gene Goss
Patriot Guard Riders Florida
Posted by Gene Goss | 05/01/08 10:14 PM |
Charles Bennett
Thank you for your standing against this insane educational system madness.
I too would be honored to stand with you any day with my "piece of cloth"!
Gene Goss
Patriot Guard Riders Florida
Posted by Gene Goss | 05/01/08 10:15 PM |
Mr. Bennett,
I salute you and your stand against the disrepect shown Old Glory. What a sad day when this is what passes for art and education. My thanks also to the young man standing next to you.
Sincerely,
Terry Hanifin
Patriot Guard Rider---Florida
Posted by Terry Hanifin | 05/01/08 11:23 PM |
Mr. Bennett,
I salute you and your stand against the disrepect shown Old Glory. What a sad day when this is what passes for art and education. My thanks also to the young man standing next to you.
Sincerely,
Terry Hanifin
Patriot Guard Rider---Florida
Posted by Terry Hanifin | 05/01/08 11:25 PM |
You know i couldn't even watch the entire clip without tears rolling down my face. I spent 15 yrs in the army. And currently am an officer of the American legion post #519 Kinmundy Illinois. I would like to see them try displaying there so called art here. I would be in jail! And so would all of the members of our legion post. They should be taken out and horse whipped for even thinking of doing such horrible things to our flag. I commend that commander for standing up and fighting for our flag and what it stands for. Obviously they have never served in our armed forces.
Posted by Delbert Mulvaney | 05/07/08 5:04 PM |