Patrick Brady

About the author: Patrick Brady, a retired army major general, is a winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor and the chairman of the Citizens' Flag Alliance, a coalition of organizations that encourages Congress to pass a constitutional amendment that will ban flag desecration.

A constitutional amendment banning flag burning and other types of flag desecration should be passed. Contrary to Supreme Court rulings and the opinion of people who oppose such an amendment, flag burning is not a form of speech. The flag desecration amendment has widespread public support, would restore the Constitution to its original meaning, and would help instill patriotism.

The enemy today is more formidable than any of you [members of the military organization the American Legion] faced on the battlefield. The debate in the House on the flag highlighted the great...