Man Steals Veteran’s Flag, Makes A Big Mistake
Time To Unleash
The high-pitched noise was piercing. It sounded like someone was pulling a steel rod on concrete. Doug raced to his window. His eyes popped as his face went red.
The line was officially crossed. Doug’s hands turned to fists. He left him with no choice. It was time to unleash the skills he learned as a marine.
Man Of Routine
Pixabay
Doug lived by himself in a quiet neighborhood in Mansfield, Texas. He had long retired from a challenging career in the military and was now enjoying the simple life.
As a bachelor, Doug organized his days around his routine. He woke up at the crack of dawn, exercised, and carried out one very important task.
The Flag
Chron.com
Every morning before breakfast, he walked outside to his American flag. It stood tall and proud at the corner of his house. The cloth danced lightly in the breeze, lit up by the morning sun.
Doug faced stiffly towards it. He paused for a moment before saluting it and going back inside. He did this every single morning.
Symbolism
Pixabay
For many like Doug, the flag represents their freedom and acts as a sacred item that they can honor and give thanks to. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the union and the colors also represent valor, purity, vigilance, and justice.
But not everybody saw his flag this way.
Any Other Morning
Pixabay
When Doug first saw one of his neighbors looking at him saluting his flag, he thought nothing of it. He even thought that the man was showing his respect to the flag too but he’d soon learn that he was way off.
It was just like any other morning when the neighbor forced Doug to brush the rust off his Marine skills.
Strange Noise
Pixabay
Doug woke up, worked out, and began to get dressed for the day ahead when he heard a strange noise coming from his front yard.
The screeching noise was piercing. It was as though someone was pulling a steel rod on concrete. Doug raced to his window and saw exactly that.
Disrespected
ABC30
He watched in complete astonishment as his neighbor was pulling his flag upside down, scraping it along the ground.
Doug ran to his door. He stepped outside and yelled at the man. The neighbor scowled at him and continued to drag his flag towards the trash. Doug had never seen such disrespect. He jumped into action.
Combat Training Expert
Pixabay
When Doug served in the marines, he had excelled at the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. MCMAP was a combat training system that combined hand-to-hand and close-quarters combat techniques.
In short, Doug was the last person you’d want to start a fight with as his neighbor was about to find out.
Tensions Rise
Pixabay
Doug marched over to his rude neighbor. He was fuming. “What the heck, man?”, Doug quipped. “What are you doing to my flag? Give that back”.
“I’m putting this in the trash where it belongs”, the man replied. Doug could feel his blood begin to boil. His hands turned to fists.
Crossing The Line
ABC7 Chicago
Doug had no problem with people expressing opinions that were the opposite of his own. He understood that his country wasn’t as kind to everyone as it had been to him but still, there was a line.
That line was crossed once anyone tried to force their opinions on anyone else or act in a manner that was disrespectful to someone else. This man crossed the line.
Marine Moves
Fox News
Doug quickly blocked the man’s arm that was about to hoist the flag up into the dumpster. In one swift move, Doug had the man in a headlock in one arm and his flag in the other.
Surrounding neighbors began to take notice of the dramatic scene unfolding. Doug yelled out for someone to call the cops. But was he wrong to use such force?
Outpour Of Support
Daily Interlake
Doug was reporting the man for trespassing and stealing his property. When he called out to his neighbors for help, they quickly came to his aid.
The veteran received an outpouring of support and neighbors who witnessed the altercation couldn’t help but be impressed by Doug’s decisive reaction. But was he right?
Online Debate
Pixabay
Once news spread about Doug’s ropey encounter with a neighbor that tried to steal the patriotic man’s flag, a debate blew up online.
Some wondered if he was right to use his skills as a marine on such an unexpecting victim. After all, the man wasn’t violent towards him, just his flag. But other people weren’t having it.
Praise
USA Today
Many people applauded Doug for his swift and precisive actions in disabling his offender. An American flag or not, the man was still stealing his property.
In a country where freedom of speech is thrown into the forefront of every disagreement, it seems as though this neighbor had confused freedom of speech with freedom of action. And paid for it. And Doug?
Let It Be
Kearney Hub
Doug returned his much-loved flag to his front yard and continued honoring it every morning. Although his patriotism may not be for everyone, at least we can all agree that he’s not harming anyone.
Maybe we should all learn to live and let live more, or as The Beatles famously put it; let it be.
