To the Editor:

Recently, I attended a sporting event, and at the playing of the national anthem, I stood at attention placing my cap in hand over my heart, and while I could see out of the corner of my eye a black family continuing to walk down the stadium steps. Having good peripheral vision, I also noticed how a young white girl had become animated, perturbed and annoyed at the perceived disrespect in failure of these blacks to stand attentively in salute of the flag while the national anthem was being played. While I understood her discomfort, I resisted the chance of making the situation potentially more uncomfortable and tense by saying afterwards to her and her father I know exactly how you feel and I feel the same way when I see a Confederate flag flying from a residence or affixed to a vehicle!

Yes, both actions could be considered offensive and contemptuous of flag etiquette or disrespectful of those who have surrendered the last full measure of sacrifice in fighting for our liberties, but of course one is a greater indignity than the other, and I’m mighty concerned that parents “training up” their children to be respectful in honoring the Stars and Stripes may have dropped the ball in forcefully condemning the Stars and Bars as an affront to our national standards of democratic principles and the rights of all citizens to be treated equally as children of Father God.

At my home, I fly the American flag, and I also fly it at my business establishment, but because that business is dedicated to a glorification of God, I have decided to fly higher the Christian flag, which is from my perspective doing the right thing in leadership to His Lordship in my life. That decision may not fit proper flag decorum or etiquette, but it is certainly not illegal or calling for a rebellion, insurrection or dehumanizing hierarchy of racial superiority.

Let’s train up and educate our children well and teach them critical thinking beyond indoctrinating curriculum in public school classrooms. The Randolph & McCulloch Freedom’s Struggle Complex in Piqua will attempt to both supplement and compliment community standards and this Flag Day on Monday, June 14, will unfurl a new Christian flag to fly over the facility.

I hope that this year I don’t have uninvited veterans trespass upon my personal property and assert their “power and privilege” in determining what my flag protocol must be!

— Larry Hamilton

Piqua