The American flag is a symbol of our freedom, and while some see flag burning as an attack on our country, others argue that disallowing the act would violate our first amendment right to freedom of speech. So, either way we are faced with a patriotic paradox: If the flag is burned, freedom is violated. And if we do not allow the flag to be burned, freedom is violated.

Four times since 1989, the Senate has defeated a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban desecration of the U.S. flag. And after the bill fell just four votes short of becoming law in March of last year, Senator Orrin Hatch (R–Utah) proclaimed, “We’ll be back. We’re not going to stop until we get this measure approved. Sooner or later we’ll get enough people here to get this amendment passed.”

Since Wednesday is the Fourth of July, now seems like the perfect time to talk about this controversial topic. What does the American flag represents to you? Should flag burning continue to be protected by the first amendment? Would you like to see an amendment passed that would ban the desecration of our nation’s flag?