Clinton said, "I agree wholeheartedly that maliciously burning or destroying an American flag is a deeply offensive and despicable act," adding that it "disrespects our nation, it belittles the sacrifices of our brave veterans, it even sends a message to the soldiers who fight today protecting our freedom that their service is in some way to be disrespected and discounted."; She drew a comparison to the 2003 Supreme Court case Virginia v. Black that clarified the burning of crosses with intent to intimidate is a crime. "Now burning a flag to me is also despicable and I believe that there is no denying when we talk about our flag, Americans’ emotions run deep, and we know that when we look at the flag, and it’s deliberately maliciously destroyed that is an intimidating experience in many instances," she said, adding, "I agree that this flag burning, this desecration, that can happen to our flag, is something that people have a right to ask this body to try to prohibit and prevent."
