You know you unwittingly exposed what the Republicans are. You steal something to prove your a 'good American'. Like stealing votes, stealing polling places, stealing elections, or as piece.or.shit trump did he stole the services of many small business people and never paid them.
Why didn't you offer to buy it? Maybe they'd take $50 for it. Nah, far better to force people to do things and take away THEIR rights because you are angry at how they speak.
Wait, are you saying that when leftist protesters break glasses, attack those they disagree with, burn cars, destroy people's property, disrupt businesses, that's OK?
Sorry you don't get to play both sides of the coin. The OP seems to be presenting him/her self as heroic and 'one of the good Americans'. You just admitted he is engaging in behavior he himself likely castigates here daily.
I don't blame anyone for feeling like they don't want to see the American flag 'mistreated' The OP has every right to feel as he/she does. Veterans came out in defense of Collin Kapernick not because they approved of anything he was doing but because here he has the right to do it, even if it is uncomfortable and makes people uneasy or angry. Cruise around this or any message board, there are people that cheer when human beings are beaten or killed for living a lifestyle someone doesn't like or says something someone doesn't like.
One is a goddamn piece of cloth and one is a living breathing human life with brothers and sisters and a mother and father. I give far more value to the human lives.