The people of America represent a vast diversity of races, religions, national origins, and political beliefs. Once we had common cause. America was the place to be and become. A majority worked to make it ever better.

Now it appears that each group wants their beliefs and traditions to reign supreme. Yet they left their homelands because they were dissatisfied.

The motives of those who denigrate our flag and our national anthem are difficult to understand. They rarely if ever make specific appeals. They don’t make a claim to represent any particular group. They are like spoiled little brats who hold their breaths and pout over everything they don’t like.

It’s even more difficult to understand the athletes. They are certainly not underprivileged. Some of them make well over $1-million dollars for every game they play. America has treated them very well.

No one is arguing that America is perfect. On the other hand, we have come a long way in 240 years, and we’re still trying.

In the great patriotic song, “America, the Beautiful,” there is a prayer:

“America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!”

“It may be legal to behave in this self-destructive manner, but it is not expedient.

There are predators all over the world attempting to destroy our nation, and these men have unwittingly become their dupes.

The flag belongs to all of us, and every one of us owes America our allegiance. When someone mocks the flag, they threaten the soul of our nation, and endanger any hope of a better tomorrow.

Let those who would trample our flag learn to exercise self control and live within the spirit of the law.

Let them be activists, but let them refuse to tear down the very symbols that represent our mutual love for individual freedom.

If Americans kick holes in our ship of state, those who ultimately dictate to us will not permit us such liberties. They will instead quickly and brutally deal with such behavior.

Working within the system that our founding fathers gave us has made the United States of America the greatest country in the world,

Remember, we are all in the same boat!