It’s a simple request. Fly with honor and pride one of the greatest symbols of Freedom this Republic has. There is nothing that grabs at ones heartstrings like seeing our American Flag proudly waving in the breeze, or having it raised in courage and defiance under great adversity.

A short video aired on Facebook earlier this month has gone viral. In less than 48 hours the video was viewed over 2 million times. Bryce Wagoner’s request that American’s fly Old Glory with pride was made for a reason.

“This is for all the videos I’ve seen on the Internet of people stomping on their flags and stuff. … I challenge everyone to go get a flag, go put it on your front lawn and put it in your front yard and display it proudly and show you’re proud to be an American,” he said in his 23-second video, picking up the tabby cat at his feet halfway through.

A request, a plea for all Americans to show their respect and honor for our Flag. A Challenge:

Bryce’s challenge came in response to a so-called trend that started in mid-April after events at a Georgia college. Douglas Ernst at the Washington Times wrote:

A new “challenge” in support of a wanted Georgia college student and New Black Panther Party member encourages individuals to desecrate the U.S. flag.
“The Eric Sheppard challenge” has been adopted by online activists to honor Valdosta State student Eric Sheppard after he allegedly brought a gun to local protests. One of the protests gained national attention when Air Force veteran Michelle Manhart was detained for grabbing one of the American flags.

There are men and women from the American Revolution to today who have been maimed or killed protecting all that our flag symbolizes, including the protection of free speech granted to every American via the 1st Amendement to our Constitution. So yes, idiots who want to stomp our flag into the ground in support of a criminal can do so.

However, that doesn’t mean I have to like it nor does that mean I have to condone it. Our great flag has been burned, shredded, spit on, hacked at, blown up and more. Yet millions around the world look to this Republic for hope and strive for the Freedoms that our great American flag symbolizes.  Every morning they wake up and look to see what Francis Scott Key saw one morning after a 25 hours of battle at Fort McHenry, mangled and torn yet still flying high:

Every day we proudly fly our great flag. Every day we strive to stand for all that it symbolizes. We are taking the American Flag Challenge, will you?