Vandals Burn American Flag At Oklahoma State Senator's House

A neighborhood woke up Saturday morning to a sight they call 'un-American':  A giant American flag flown in State Senator Al McAffrey's yard was burned in the overnight hours.

"I don't understand why they did this," said McAffrey. "Freedom. That's what the flag stands for, you know. When serving in the service, in the Navy and also with the Marines, it's about freedom and that's what our flag stands for."

The vibrant red, white and blue symbol of freedom was charred and tattered. The leftover pieces scattered across McAffrey's front lawn. He flew the giant flag proudly in his front yard, so finding the symbol of American freedom like this, on Memorial Day weekend of all times, was the last thing he expected.

"It had to be intentional to come here and to burn the flag because there's other people that have flags, but some of them aren't this big," explained McAffrey.

"We fly it all the time. We never take it down. We have a light that shines on it so we never take it down because it's for freedom and as a state senator I work for that every day."

Saturday, the flagpole stood bare with burn marks and a tiny piece of the original flag left at the top. The quiet neighborhood where McAffrey lives was puzzled.

"Why do this?" he asked. "It's not a prank. This is un-American and it really bothers me that someone would be un-American and to my home, our home, and do this and that's what upsets me."

Neighbors stopped by and shook their heads in disbelief over the flag burning Saturday afternoon.

McAffrey's flag was the only one in the neighborhood that was targeted. There has been no information about who might have done it. McAffrey says he already has a replacement flag ready to go up and fly for Memorial Day.