News-Record.com

Some commenters in the letters blog have taken exception to Ed Crothers' piece in Tuesday's News & Record on flag desecration.

Ed Cone wonders if Crothers goes too far in his warning that some veterans would take exception to stomping of Old Glory by doing some stomping of their own.

Written in the voice of the flag itself, and submitted in response to an excerpt of a Cone column that opposes a flag burning ban, the Counterpoint closes: "Oh, and by the way, Mr. Cone, since you are all about free speech, let me give you a few words of advice that won't cost you a cent. If you plan to step on me or burn me, it would not be a good idea to do that if there is a member of our Armed Forces nearby -- like a sailor or a dogface or a Marine. They don't take kindly to that, and from that encounter you would very likely get a clear idea of how it feels to be stomped."

Ed responds in his blog:
"I'm sure that many veterans grasp the difference between supporting free speech and supporting the content of that speech. And I'm sure that even talking flags see the distinction between stomping on a piece of cloth and stomping on a person.

"I think this is the first threat of physical violence against me (even as a conditional action based on possible behavior on my part) I've seen published in the N&R. And it is certainly the first threat I've received from an inanimate object. A great day all 'round for free speech in Greensboro."

Mr. Crothers may not have literally meant to threaten physical harm in his zeal to make a point.

But, I agree with Ed. The ending violates the News & Record's standards. We should have asked the writer to change it.

We routinely ask readers to soften or rewrite passages in letters to the editor and Counterpoints when they cross the line of civility. I should have asked Mr. Crothers to do so in this case.

My bad.