I was shocked that a decorated combat veteran such as Gen. Patrick Brady (Protect the Flag) would so lightly liken the rhetorical debate over the flag “desecration” constitutional amendment to the horrors of a Vietnam minefield. Putting the “feel-good” face of flag protection on the unspeakable abominations of combat seems to trivialize what my fellow veterans and I experienced. Such a comparison is hardly fair and, frankly, nothing short of inflammatory.

I have my own landmine story.

On April 12, 1968, I encountered a landmine while serving with K Company, 3 rd Battalion, 27 th Marines. After surviving an explosion, I suffered bilateral above-the-knee amputations.

I can tell you plainly, I did not lose my legs, and very nearly my life, to protect a symbol.

I sacrificed part of myself promoting freedom abroad -- and I am certainly going to protect it here. Free expression, especially the right to dissent from the policies of the government, is inextricable from the stability, prosperity and strength of our democracy. America was born out of our Founding Fathers' dissent, and that is still what sets this nation apart.

Despite his fervent support for the flag amendment, I doubt even Gen. Brady would assert that he values the flag over freedom.

A flag in and of itself is nothing extraordinary -- in fact, flags have flown for virtually all enemies of democracy. It is what the flag stands for that gives it meaning. And in America, our flag stands for freedom -- the Bill of Rights. What the flag amendment proposes is an unraveling of those First Amendment freedoms guaranteed us for more than 200 years.

It is the First Amendment, of course, that guarantees the freedom of expression that allows both Gen. Brady and me to express our differing opinions in this public forum. Yet he would have the Senate erode that right.

America is a complex place, filled with an astonishing diversity of opinion. Gen. Brady would have us think that since flag burning disgusts the majority of Americans -- including myself -- we must punish dissidents. My heart swells with pride for my country and fellow veterans every time I see the flag fly, but my patriotism is not one dimensional -- I can both love this country and respect the rights of those who disagree with me. It is not always easy, but to me, that is what freedom is all about.

Allowing poorly defined requirements of patriotism to suspend critical analysis of our laws and history would negate everything our Founding Fathers worked so hard to create, and that our military fights so hard to protect. Without public debate and discourse, America would cease to be democratic. And I cannot see how protecting the flag is worth losing our freedom.