Veteran Responds to Flag Burning With Emotional Viral Video

It is safe the say that the inauguration of President Donald Trump brought varied responses from the American public. Protests, marches and walkouts occurred across the country, but not everyone was happy with the way some people chose to show their distaste for Washington.

Portland, Oregon resident and veteran Eric Post took to Facebook to post an emotional video condemning a group of protestors who he claims decided to host a flag-burning “extravaganza.” In the video, Post tearfully explains how upset he is that people would disrespect the same flag that gives them the freedom to burn it in the first place.

According to KATU News, Post said that he wanted to counter-protest the flag-burning and confront them, but instead decided to head to Willamette National Cemetery, where many veterans are buried, to record the video and calmly state his opinion. The video has since gone viral with over 59,000 shares and 40,000 reactions as of January 26.

“I knew that if I was going to create change, I wasn’t going to fight hate with hate,” Post told KATU. “It was going to be collecting my thoughts and sharing a message and speaking for people who couldn’t speak themselves and those are the people buried here.”

Post’s message was to encourage people to find a different way to show what they feel.

“Maybe you’ll get wise one day,” he said in the video, “and realize that the symbol of the flag isn’t what you’re protesting, it’s what gives you the ability to protest. You should cherish that, not burn it.”

Currently in the U.S., flag burning is not illegal.

People attending the event had a different perspective. Comments on the Facebook group for the event revealed people fighting for their rights.

“We love America,” one user wrote, “if people you loved were in danger of losing their insurance, which literally keeps them alive, you may have different opinions.”

Still, others argued burning the flag does nothing but torch a symbol of our freedom.

If there’s one thing no one can argue, it’s that we live in troubled times.

Your Daily Dish reached out to Post and the organizer of the Facebook group for comment.