“(interestingly enough, now that the flag has been tattered and torn by the scumbag protesters, isn’t the proper course of action to respectfully burn the flag in order to dispose of it?)”
Yes. Both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War posts have patriotic ceremonies and procedures to dispose of flags. If you own a tattered and fading flag, take it to either of these vet organizations for proper retirement of the colors.
Exactly. And with respect to this particular flag, I can't help but think that there is something powerfully symbolic about the VFW (or the American Legion, or even these officers themselves) using fire, the same basic means that these scumbag protestors were trying to use to defame and desecrate the flag, but in a totally different context, to patriotically pay respect to the very same flag.