Never disrespect the flag, it’s stitched with sacrifice!

I came across this story from the Washington times online and I was deeply disturbed over this one.  You see, a new "social media challenge" has spread online in which individuals stomp on the American flag to honor a Afro American college student wanted in Georgia for allegedly bringing a gun to campus protests. I feel it is disrespectful to the soldiers that gave their all to protect our rights and freedoms. A disrespected flag will have soldiers turning in their graves.  Some people just don’t get it. It is very simple, there is a song called How Betsy made the Flag by C. Austin Miles and here is the chorus:

So she took some red for the blood they shed,
Some white for purity,
Some stars so bright from the sky o’erhead,
Some blue for loyalty,
And sewed them all together,
For loyal hearts and true;
And hand in hand as one we stand,
For the red, white and blue.

This challenge asks people to make videos of them, desecrating the U.S. flag and post those videos online. The challenge is supposedly in honor of Eric Sheppard, a Valdosta State University student wanted in Georgia after his gun was reportedly found on campus during a series of protests.
Sheppard, Campus Reform said, is a member of the radical New Black Panther Party and describes himself as a terrorist against white people. Sheppard was part of a protest that involved stomping on the flag. The flag was rescued by Michelle Manhart, a female veteran of the United States Air Force and former Playboy Model, who was detained after securing the banner.

Sheppard's father has asked that he turn himself in to authorities. But, Campus Reform said, some have decided to show their support with a social media movement that includes videos and photos posted to Facebook and Instagram.
It has also made the rounds on Twitter, angering a number of people. Some of those posting on the social media site posted pictures of protesters defecating on the flag.
"The #EricSheppardChallenge is offensive, disrespectful, and illegal," another person said. "Sooo...rioting and looting didn't get America to side with you, but you think stepping on the flag will?" another Twitter user asked.

The Blaze reported about an activist Erica Walker dances on a flag lying on the ground after issuing a profanity-laced message. "F**k yo flag," she says in the video, Campus Reform added. Walker also provided an "out" for those who do not want to desecrate the flag.
"If you don't want to do the ‪#‎EricSheppardChallenge, fine then donate $100 to a homeless veteran," she said on Facebook. "There's plenty of them in Atlanta and all across America, thanks to the failed VA department."  (This makes much more sense to me).

"According to her LinkedIn page, Walker is a radio talk show host and is currently employed at the Ryan Cameron Foundation, a non-profit that aims to empower high school students in the Atlanta area," Campus Reform said. "She was previously employed at CBS Atlanta."
Actions that may be treated as flag desecration include:

• Burning it
• Urinating or defecating on it
• Defacing it with slogans
• Daubing it with excrement, etc.
• Stepping on it
• Spitting on it
• Stoning it
• Shooting it with guns
• Hurling insults at it
• Cutting or ripping it
• Dragging it on the ground
• Using it unconventionally, e.g.:

·        Hanging it upside down or reversed. In some countries, however, this is also conventional protocol to indicate an emergency or problem, or to indicate a state of war. Moreover, many flags (such as the flag of Austria) cannot be hung upside down or reversed.

·         Making toilet paper, napkins, doormats, and other such items bearing the image of the flag, so that the flag's image will be destroyed or soiled in the course of everyday activities.

It is increasingly common to see clothing with the image of the flags forming a substantial part of the piece. Views vary as to whether some of this is an act of national pride or disrespect; I say its national pride wear it proud.

Soldiers from all branches of the military, fought to give us the First Amendment and continue to fight to protect our rights and freedoms.  The first amendment guarantees the freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely.  It also guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government, but you have to use common sense which these days for some, is not so common. 

According to the Military history of African Americans, throughout history, Afro Americans have served in the military from Revolutionary War to present day and shed blood to defend the flag and its values, all this while having to overcome great and atrocious obstacles. It is a shame for the great leaps Afro Americans forefathers took forward, there is a group doing this challenge that wants to take a huge step back. 

There is a war on terrorism going on right now in the world; maybe; just maybe, we can focus on that. So give the flag the respect it deserves, know why #this flag flies free and most important #GOD BLESS AMERICA.