Political free speech should include whatever we want to do with our own free country’s flag. Equating it with the memory of our fallen and active troops is understandable—in that context it’s a powerful symbol of purpose and service—but in reality, does doing something to a flag actually harm a living or dead soldier? No. Do the government and the military exist to serve and protect this country’s civilians and their interests? Yes. Is the flag meaningful to civilian citizens too, in different but no less valuable ways than for service members? Yes, very much so.