Flag Day 2017: Two Flags for a Deeply Divided U.S

Are we a united nation? The first picture is a U.S. flag sent to me by a student who has served our nation in combat. Ben writes: “Here is a flag for your desk. This flag means a lot to me and to many others who spent 7 months from away from home working to defend it. We don’t see political views, we don’t see race, we just see freedom and democracy. While we have opinions, the flag supersedes our opinions. Our oath is to the nation and to the flag—so it remains on our shoulders daily.”

The second picture is hard to look at, especially after reading Ben’s powerful homage to our nation’s flag. The perverted flag was displayed by Jeffrey Hall. As reported by the Washington Post  last year, here is his vision for America: “I want a white nation.” Mr. Hall once patrolled the U.S.-Mexico border looking for illegal immigrants. He often spoke at rallies, promoting the goals of the National Socialist Movement, the largest neo-Nazi organization in the U.S. country, with 46 chapters in 20 states. Hall was shot and killed by his then-10-year-old son, who killed his father while Mr. Hall was asleep on his living room couch. The son later said that his father beat him constantly.

My student, Ben, is serving this nation for you, for me, for our children, and grandchildren—and even for the Joseph Halls of America.

Thank you, Ben and your fellow service members, for making America great. Let’s hope we can all rally around the flag you sent me, which I proudly display in my office.