Yes, I served, and continue my employemnt with the federal goverment... and yes I have lost blood relations in every conflict from the Civil War to Iraq. (Unfortunately I have returned recently from a friend's funeral. He died in Vietnam, it just took 40 years for him to realize it.)
Chief, Aceyd, and others.. I truly respect your opinion on our flag and, if this were real flags, I would be with you in your fight to keep Ol' Glory safe, sound and secure.
However, as the US Supreme Court has ruled, Flag desecration is protected under the First Ammendment. "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." is a common Voltaire (mis)quote. We have given people the right to do and say things that we disagree with.
This is what my family fought for. This is what our blood has been spilled for. From the jungles of SouthEast Asia, the Bataan Deathmarch and Utah Beach.
With all due respect to your service and your loyalty... No, scratch that. Not "due respect".... I give you more respect than you are simply "due", but what we are talking about here is nothing more than a cartoon graphic. We have fought for the right of the folks at WGT to produce and market a product they think will bring in cash. We fought for the right of folks to disagree with us. We fought for many things. Our society is free, and we did that. We kept it free and will continue to keep it free as long as we can draw a breath. There are many fights, many injustices, many wrongs that need our attention.
This isn't one of them.
Our sons, brothers, fathers, mothers, sisters and daughters are in harm's way at this very moment all over the globe... doing what we have done, serving like we did, like our fathers taught us and their fathers taught them always serving with a sense of Honor, Duty, and Country. They need thoughts, prayers, support and godspeed on their way home.
What color the cartoon pants are in a video game should be rather low on their list.
Censorship is wrong in any form. Well-intentioned as it may be.
Our Country is free. You made sure it stayed free, thank you... let's not take that away now.
Peace to you.