On Monday, President Trump announced his intention to prosecute anyone who burns a United States flag, prompting mixed reactions from those on the right.

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From The Christian Post:

Trump issued an executive order on Monday vowing that his administration will “prosecute those who incite violence or otherwise violate our laws while desecrating this symbol of our country, to the fullest extent permissible under any available authority.”

“The American Flag is a special symbol in our national life that should unite and represent all Americans of every background and walk of life. Desecrating it is uniquely offensive and provocative,” stated the order.

“It is a statement of contempt, hostility, and violence against our Nation — the clearest possible expression of opposition to the political union that preserves our rights, liberty, and security. Burning this representation of America may incite violence and riot.”

The President is calling Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute anyone who burns an American flag “to the maximum extent permitted by the Constitution,” according to the executive order.

While many view burning the flag as reprehensible behavior, it has historically been protected under the First Amendment. The Post notes that, in 1989, the Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. Johnson that burning the American flag is “a constitutionally acceptable form of public protest.”

In light of this legal precedent, conservatives are unsure of what to think about this executive order. Some have taken to calling it unconstitutional, while others have come out in full support of the order. Others have suggested this is another one of the President’s complex strategies, designed to forces the left to argue in the public forum for the right to burn the American flag.

No matter what your opinion is, it’s important to remember that flag burning is not explicitly protected under the U.S. Constitution. Rather, is protected by a legal precedent established by a decades-old court case. If that sounds familiar, it is because that is exactly the same protection that was afforded to abortion prior to the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Flag burning may be seen as protected by the Constitution now, but that could all change if a specific case reaches the Supreme Court. Perhaps bringing the act of flag burning before the Supreme Court is the President’s master plan.

Regardless of what the President’s intentions are, let’s pray. Let’s pray for an end to violence, rioting, and flag burning in America, and let’s pray for more people to respect our nation and its flag!

What do you think of this executive order? Share your thoughts and prayers below.

(Excerpt from The Christian Post. Photo Credit: Kyle T. from Washington, DC, USA – Protests on Independence Day 2020, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92001456)