I generally believe in everyone being able to do their own thing as long as it doesn't hurt other people. I absolutely love and believe in personal freedoms and liberty.
I also don't put too much concern into symbols: i.e. I don't find Nazi swastikas or rebel flags to be anything worth getting worked up over, unless they are specifically being used to represent ideas I am opposed to. I tend to believe that someone can appreciate the superficial appearances of symbols without actually liking or supporting the ideas they may have once symbolized. Evil or not, real or not, Darth Vader and Nazi SS uniforms simply look cool. I think the Germans understood that pride helps make a soldier strong, and a cool looking uniform helps build that pride. Whereas the US Navy likes making enlisted sailors wear work uniforms that are almost identical to the clothes issued to convicts. They are so ashamed of dungarees, that you aren't allowed to wear them off base, you have to change into a dress uniform.
Regardless of their symbolic meaning, I happen to like flags in general and own the rebel battle flag, the British flag, and a USSR hammer and sickle flag (notably each nation represented was defeated by the United States

). But I don't display them outside. The British and rebel flag hang from my bedroom closet doors, but I don't have anywhere to put the Soviet flag.
I have two United States flags from the Navy: one issued to me as I re-enlisted in the crew's mess of my submarine and one that was a spare for my 2nd submarine. I have a third one which was a gift that is the cheaper kind people get to put out for holidays.
I don't display any of my US flags.... yet. When I finish school and get a house, I will do what I have seen many veterans do: put up a tall bonifide flagpole with appropriate lighting so it can be properly displayed 24/7.
When someone asks if I think anyone should be allowed to burn the US flag in protest, my patriotism comes to the surface full force.
I do not support much of what the federal government does, but to me that flag does not represent the federal government or anything else anyone in this country should be protesting. It represents the freedom so many other Americans have fought and died for. Make an effigy of the President and burn it, burn the rebel flag, burn anything you want, but not the US flag.
Yeah, you should have the right to burn the US flag but you should also be deported to a country where it is a common practice so you can enjoy life with others who feel the same way.
But if you must protest by doing something to the flag, I do prefer burning to walking on it or worse yet deficating or urinating.
Fortunately for both them and me, I have never had the displeasure of knowing or seeing in person anyone who has disrespected the US flag and by doing so the people who made it possible for them to have that "freedom to protest".
Call me what you will, but I have the right to protest your right to protest
