I recently purchased a brand new American flag and taught my 10-year-old son how to fold it properly. We discussed flag etiquette:

— never permit the flag to touch the ground

— do not fly the flag at night unless it is illuminated

— do not fly any other flag above the Stars and Stripes

Naturally, all of this was new to him. When I was in school, we learned this sort of chest-swelling patriotism along with the hymns of the military services and traditional American folk songs. I was proud to pass it along to him.

It pains me to be in agreement with the leading liberals in the Senate on anything, and particularly on a subject touching upon patriotism, but the minority who voted against the flag desecration amendment were right. Odious, disgusting, and unimaginative it may be, but burning the flag is, it seems to me, a pretty clear case of political expression — just the sort of thing the First Amendment was intended to protect.

And yet, can we give liberal Democrats like Ted Kennedy, Chris Dodd, Pat Leahy, and Barbara Boxer credit for First Amendment integrity when all of them supported the McCain Feingold campaign finance reform? In the name of public integrity, they were all delighted to limit the speech of potential challengers and interested citizens.

Tomorrow, flying our flag proudly, I will think of the Americans who gave — and stand ready to give — their lives for the country the flag symbolizes.

Happy Independence Day.