Editor:
           As a veteran, I’ve always tried to honor our nation’s flag. Our flag was honored by Francis Scott Key who was inspired by the flag still flying when he wrote the Star Spangled Banner, our National Anthem.
    Our flag was raised in honor by Marines on Iwo Jima and became a symbol of hope and freedom then, which continues to this day.
    Our flag is honored in our historic Pledge of Allegiance.
     Our flag honors hundreds of thousands of veterans on cemeteries nationwide and around the world who gave their lives to defend it and our country.
     Our flag is given in honor and respect to survivors and children at funerals for service men and women.
     Our flag inspired millions of Americans who fought to end oppression of people in World War II,  Korea and other conflicts.
     Our flag has been honored and saluted by Boy and Girl Scouts and Veterans organizations throughout generations.
     Our flag was honored this year in the Healing Fields Project in Portland and also was on display, 2,900 of them, honoring veterans on the Maine Turnpike, from Kittery to  Augusta and other locations around Maine
     Our flag is placed on countless gravesites on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July honoring those who gave their lives for  America.
     Our flag has been honored for centuries all across America.
     But NOT by the Kennebunk Library Board of Trustees, it seems. Instead, during the week of Veterans Day, you and your Board of Trustees chose to slap veterans in the face by approving a display made of defaced, defiled, torn flags in a dishonorable display, calling this ‘art’.
     It is interesting to many veterans that the Library Board of Trustees defends this affront and desecration of our nation’s flag while many other towns around Maine and across our country celebrate our flag and honor it.  Many of us now plan to meet periodically to discuss your actions and appropriate responses.
     I trust you will let the following Board members know of my displeasure at their dishonor of our flag and the veterans who defended it and our country.
     As a long time member of the Overseas Press Club, affiliated with the National Press Club and others, and a nationally-syndicated newspaper columnist for 25 plus years, I am fully in favor of freedom of speech and expression. Desecrating and dishonoring our nation’s flag to mock our country is another issue. You can be assured that I will share my thoughts with key national media friends.

Allan A. Swenson
Proudly an Ex-GI of the United States Army