It may sound cliche, but I love America. Not for what she is, or the thing she’s done, but for what she represents: the idea that we are born free, that every citizen is free to pursue their own path to happiness, and that in this land one is free to speak their mind, whether or not that opinion is popular.

America is more than the earth between its borders. It is hope. Hope that shines like a beacon into the darkest corners of this world, calling to those who want more for their destiny than their homelands can give them. The best and the most determined to succeed from all over the planet come here to learn, to raise their children, and to hope for a better future.

When the brave are called to defend these ideas on battlefields foreign and domestic, they represent themselves with our standard: the flag. This symbol is synonymous with liberty, equality and the promise of a brighter future. Where it flies, free speech is encouraged. When it is present, tyrants flee or die. On the moon and even of the edge of the solar system on our deepest space probes, the Stars and Stripes are boldly represented.

This is why today I am asking that you take a moment and consider proper flag disposal. According to U.S. Flag code, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” This is to ensure that the flag is never represented in a negative or disrespectful way, such as on top of a trash heap.

You may think it’s propaganda, but to me it is not. I am not beholden to any specific political administration, nor do I believe that the United States is a perfect place. On the contrary, I personally believe that the United States needs a lot of work on multiple fronts, such as true equality for all, the reprioritization of our foreign policies, and closing the gap between those to have much compared to those who have little. But I also believe that the United States and its flag represent humanity’s best hope at one day achieving these goals.

These ideas deserve our respect. This flag represents our dreams and the ongoing efforts to make sure our children live in a better world than we were raised in, in perpetuity. If you ever find a flag in disrepair and whose owner has neglected to give it a proper disposal, consider doing so yourself. I did this myself this weekend when, during a visit to a local private dump in Sacramento, I found an American flag that had been tossed out with the garbage.

When things wear out and lose all usefulness, one throws them away. And while the fabric may be torn, and the colors a little faded from the sun, this flag was still doing its job remarkably well: It still invoked a strong sense of national pride and the promise of a better tomorrow from deep inside me. I could not let this disgrace continue, so I collected the flag and brought it home.

This flag now sits in my garage folded in a triangle. This week I will be contacting the local American Legion Hall to ask for assistance in properly retiring it to the flames. I don’t do this just for those who have died for the flag. I do it because I want to believe that I live in a land where we still respect the freedoms we have in this country and recognize how lucky we are when there are many people in this world who do not have that privilege.