Out actor George Takei has responded to
President-elect Donald Trump's flag burning comments.
In response to a Fox News segment about
a student protest against his election in which a flag was burned,
Trump tweeted that “there must be consequences.”
“Nobody should be allowed to burn the
American flag – if they do, there must be consequences – perhaps
loss of citizenship or year in jail!” Trump messaged.
The Supreme Court in 1989 struck down a
Texas law that criminalized flag burning, ruling that it was
protected as free speech by the First Amendment.
Takei, whose family was forced into a
Japanese-American internment camp, where they spent most of World War
II, criticized Trump's views in a series of tweets.
“I pledged allegiance to the flag
every morning inside an internment camp,” he wrote. “I would
never burn one, but I'd die to protect the right to do so.”
“Mr. Trump, one of your sacred duties
as President will be to uphold the Constitution. That means honoring
and protecting free speech,” Takei added.