Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
We have heard of Donald Trump attacking an entire religion, an entire ethnic group, the disabled, women and even veterans that were captured and now we have our own apparent Trump Supporter (#basketofdeplorables) who blames an entire generation of Americans who, in his words, “do not understand the greatness of America” Your Views letter (“Why he respects American flag) Sept. 12 by Frank Aquila, aka Sugarman*
The Sugarman* gets all patriotic on us by reminiscing about 9/11 as if we are clueless about the date.
He uses this as an introductory to his obvious dislike of athletes who use the playing of the National Anthem at sporting events to call attention to whatever injustice they feel is going on at the time. This time, it’s inequality and Police Brutality, actual issues of the day.  News Flash Sugarman*, athletes have been doing this for years. Remember the Olympics in Mexico City or Mohammad Ali?
What the Sugarman* fails to mention is that their protest is protected by the Constitution, you know that document he usually brings up when, like most of the Right, it suits his/their agenda but are strangely silent when it doesn’t.
The Sugarman* even tries to get us to break into song, listing the entire lyrics of an admittedly Johnny Cash classic “Ragged Old Flag”. He ends his letter with his poetic version of the symbolic representation of the American flag. Only it isn’t true and it isn’t his.
“The stars represent a symbol of heaven and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial” - Wrong! The stars represent the number of States.
“The stripes represent the rays of light emanating from the sun” — Wrong, they represent the 13 original Colonies.
“The color white signifies purity and innocence; the color red signifies valor and bravery and the color blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice”  Actually the colors are “White”, “Old Glory Red” and “Old Glory Blue” What he is describing is not the Stars and Stripes but the colors of the Great Seal. The colors on the flag were chosen because they could be easily distinguished when flying from the mast of an American ship at sea. Nothing poetic there...
What the Sugarman* has apparently claimed to be his own poetic description of the flag is actually copied from the book “Our Flag” published in 1989. Sometimes the truth isn’t very poetic or spiritually moving but the truth is the truth, isn’t it? Unless you have an agenda and the truth is in the way...    
*Sugarman - One who orders sugar with his lemon water to make his own restaurant lemonade...

Larry Baca