Re: Please Oppose S.J. Res. 12, the Flag ""Desecration"" Amendment

Dear Senator,

I write in the hope that you will oppose the proposed "Flag Desecration Amendment" to the Constitution. I feel the amendment is an affront to the Bill of Rights and an insult to my military service.

I am a combat veteran who served as an Infantryman in the Army for three years, one of which was spent serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I joined the military shortly after 9/11, knowing full well that the odds were extremely high of going into combat, and sure enough I did. Two of my colleagues are dead, and 35 wounded. Each of us was proud to say that we served our country.

The proposed constitutional amendment is in my eyes, and the eyes of countless other veterans, a slap in the face to our service in combat. We volunteered to go to war to protect the freedoms in this country, not watch them be taken away by politicians who have never been to the front lines. I consider myself an independent-minded conservative, and believe that creating unnecessary amendments to the U.S. Constitution is a betrayal of conservative principles.

I strongly urge you to listen to the voices of veterans around the country who are horrified by this insult to our sacrifices and support the freedom of speech that we went to combat to protect. I am proud of my military service, and would gladly answer the call of duty again should the need arise. But should this amendment be passed, I will be ashamed to have served a government which takes away the rights I swore to defend whenever it sees fit.

Burning the Bill of Rights in order to stop people from burning the American flag is not an appropriate way to attempt to honor veterans. Please reject this amendment once and for all.

Sincerely,

Specialist Eric G Eliason
United States Army