Court cases involving offensive acts with the US flag has a long history. In 1907, a US Supreme Court decision (Hatler v. Nebraska) stated that a business could not sell beer with flag labels on the bottles. In 1968, a law was passed making acts like publicly mutilating, defacing, burning, or trampling the U.S flag as illegal. During another case in 1979, the court stated that a person could not be convicted for taping a peace sign on an American Flag, implying such an act to be protected expression under the First Amendment. Then came the 1989 decision that mistakenly protected the offensive/harmful act of flag burning.

The idea of citizens possibly being expatriated as a discipline is not a long term solution. You cannot force someone to be a patriot...there is a clear distinction between authentic and forced patriotism. Every citizen has the right to express their feelings or pains through an act of free expression as long as it is not physically hurting someone or damaging someone's property. However, that is where the problem lies...flag burning and desecration is offensive. For one, burning and desecration of the U.S. flag dishonors our veterans. Many armed forces veterans sacrificed their lives to protect the nation, a nation that is symbolized by its flag.

The U.S flag represents what we as a country stand for. If we allow our national symbol's burning, it can pave a pathway of hatred and incite violence. Thousands of people sacrificed their lives and are still fighting to protect freedom and integrity, which is symbolized by our flag. The act of flag burning shatters the morale of the people who fight for the country. For these people the flag is not a piece of cloth, but a holy symbol representing their belief in a nation that they love. 

Burning and desecration of the flag is #AntiAmerican, therefore it should be illegal and outright banned.