John Henderson Demands Respect for the Flag

When John Henderson saw a torn and tattered flag flying outside a local fast food restaurant he was as upset as he was sad. As a Vietnam veteran he looks on our nation's flag as a sacred symbol to be treasured and respected … and cared for. After all, there are rules that govern the proper care and handling of the American flag, so he took matters into his own hands, took down the flag, folded it properly and then almost wound up in trouble with the law. He wasn't stealing the flag. In fact he took it straight over to a VFW to have it "properly retired." At the VFW post they were also appalled at the condition of the flag when Mr. Henderson brought it in. Luckily, the upper management realized the point Mr. Henderson was trying to make and agreed to see about having the flag repaired or replaced. While it's an expense the restaurant doesn't want to make on a regular basis, Mr. Henderson feels if you're going to fly the flag you should show the proper respect. As a veteran, he feels "it's a living symbol of our sacrifices… and all the more important when soldiers are dying overseas." This wasn't the first flag Mr. Henderson has taken a person interest in. A week or so earlier he removed a torn flag from a local gas station where the manager promised to replace it with a new one. "If you're going to fly the flag, do it right," he said.