WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

This was posted by The Wolf at BLACKFIVE. The Wolf make a good point: what does the flag mean to YOU? What is going on in our society that denegrates and disrespects the National Flag?
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This is getting UGLY.
More and more, I'm seeing a lack of respect for the flag. As a symbol, as an item of respect of our nation. And I blame...
Teachers, Professors, Police, Politicians, Neighbors, Lawyers, Politicians, The President, The Governor, The Mayor, Congressmen, Senators, Legislators, Bosses, Students, Colleges, Schools, Principals, Politicians, Kids, Parents, Internet, TV, Radio, Howard Stern, Mancow, Foreigners, Al Qaeda, Islamists, The French, Movies, Hollywood, California, Pelosi, Reid, Murtha, Politicians, Schools, Councilmen, Lawyers...

Notice I did not include The Military.
'Cause we defend it. Every day. We understand what it means. Apparently, a few DON'T:
Treating the flag some sort idol is pretty barbaric and typical of a paganist, polytheistic world view. Couple statements like this, with the shopkeeper in Reno, with the old lady in the neighborhood and you start to see a pattern develop. Like we are definitely losing our collective mind.

What DO we stand for now? What DOES this flag mean anymore? And WHY? I seethe every day when I go to my daughter's elementary, and I don't see student council kids learning to raise the flag every morning. I wince every time I see a desecration by activists who do it just to get attention- and not that it has a point to what they protest about. I also CRINGE every time I see a politician wrap themselves in it, stand before it, and don't have the guts to defend it or those that do.

The commenter on one of my posts got me to thinking that we need to start over again- that we need to instill some respect in SOMETHING, anything, or we won't be standing for anything. For long.

We need to make sure that our kids understand what respect is- for the flag, for our country, for each other. And it starts with Old Glory, in my mind. Ok, so you don't want to pledge 'Under God'; I get that, but lets move beyond that and on to respect for the NATION, and her SYMBOL.

You don't respect her, you don't respect me. You don't respect US.
-Wolf
PS- if you want to read some long, but significant, writings on what the flag means, read these findings in law- US v. Eichman and US v. Johnson.