A thug determined to steal a veteran’s flag after seeing him saluting it every day. The thief walked as much as rip down the flag, pondering the veteran couldn’t do something since he was blind. They’d no thought that they had simply made a really large mistake.
Howard Banks, a 92-year-old World Struggle II veteran who’s legally blind, flies Previous Glory exterior of his Kaufman, Texas dwelling. Having been blinded by a flare throughout his service to his nation, one would suppose individuals would depart the outdated man alone to reside out his years in peace, however sadly, that’s not the case. Years after serving throughout wartime, he’s nonetheless defending our flag.
Sadly, our flag has turn out to be an emblem of controversy and division, and somebody took challenge with Banks flying the American and Marine Corps flags exterior of his dwelling — greater than as soon as. Whereas there are those that consider the flag represents all the great and freedoms our nation has to supply and fly it with delight in honor of those that served to defend it, others really feel America has failed to supply liberty and justice for all. The latter takes challenge with the image of our nice nation and refuse to honor the symbol of our nation.
No matter the place you fall in relation to your emotions on our nation and our flag, most would agree that everybody has the suitable to do what they please in relation to their very own property and displaying the flag. Sadly, not less than one thug didn’t really feel this fashion after they noticed Banks’ flying the flag exterior his Texas dwelling. Selecting to disrespect the flag, the degenerate additionally tried to infringe on the veteran’s rights — however the struggle hero wasn’t about to be violated with out a struggle.
Because the blind veteran was minding his personal enterprise, he heard his flag being pulled down, and since this wasn’t the primary time somebody had vandalized his property, concentrating on his flags, he had a good suggestion of what was occurring exterior. The suspect doubtless thought the outdated man was a straightforward goal since he couldn’t see, however they made one large mistake. He might hear simply high quality.
Recognizing the noise immediately, the aged man leaped into motion the perfect he might, speeding exterior to seek out out what was occurring. That’s when Banks caught the thugs within the act. However, the wicked people determined to take their disrespect one step additional.
“I walked out, hanging onto the railing and stepped down. That should’ve startled them,” Banks recalled. “They might see me. I couldn’t see them. I turned and seemed within the different course, and about then – ‘wham!’ They knocked me down.”
Though Banks took a success and was injured within the chaos that ensued, he efficiently defended his American flag. The thug was compelled to run off with out it. To not be discouraged and eager to make his disgust with the veteran’s patriotic sentiments recognized, the vandal ripped down the outdated man’s “God Bless All Police” signal and threw it throughout the yard. Nonetheless, issues didn’t go in line with plan for this thug in any respect.
Slightly than educate the outdated man a lesson about his show of the flag, the thug’s assault had the alternative impact. There’s little doubt the vandal hoped to discourage the veteran from honoring the flag, however he was removed from profitable in his efforts. Not solely did the veteran defend the flag, he then obtained an outpouring of help after neighbors heard the scuffle and got here working to the aged man’s assist.
Banks suffered a twisted knee, in addition to a number of bumps and bruises, however he’s shrugging the accidents off. “I’m sturdy. I can take it,” mentioned the patriot, who enlisted within the armed forces on the age of 18 and fought within the battle of Iwo Jima, Japan, throughout World Struggle II. Talking of the flag and his each day behavior of saluting it, which he picked up within the army, he added, “It’s the one factor I can cling to. But at my capability, there’s not a lot I can do. However I can honor our flag.”
As for the vandal, they aren’t getting off scot-free. “We’re doing all the pieces in our energy to seek out the suspects that dedicated this cowardly assault and convey them to justice,” the Kaufman Police Division mentioned in an announcement. “This gentleman is a hero to our officers and the town’s residents ought to be extraordinarily proud to have him as a part of our neighborhood.”
In keeping with Banks, somebody had beforehand tried to chop down his flag pole. That point, he discovered his U.S. flag shredded and his U.S. Marine Corps flag thrown in a ditch. With this newest try to vandalize his property, his household has positioned cameras across the exterior of his residence, and any future thugs who resolve to assault higher suppose twice. “If there’s any method to catch them and I used to be in a position to take action, I’d prefer to whoop them good with my crutch,” Banks warned.
That appears like precisely what these punks may want. You don’t have to love the American flag. That’s your proper. Nonetheless, you by no means have the suitable to place your fingers on another person’s property. The truth that this thug would push a blind veteran, who walks with a cane, simply goes to point out that they’re the bottom of the low. Don’t just like the flag? Don’t fly one. However, don’t dare put your fingers on a struggle hero who needs to peacefully honor the nation he fearlessly served on his personal property.