The Boston Globe, The Union-News and The Daily Hampshire Gazette all covered the protests, which were also mentioned on CNN's "Lou Dobbs' Moneyline" and local news programs.
The news coverage specified that Amherst students were not responsible for the flag burnings. However, headlines such as "Flags burned at Amherst College," which appeared on the Drudge Report website, led many to connect Amherst students with the actual burnings.
Dave Greig '02 thought that the coverage hurt Amherst's reputation. "It is just unfortunate that flag burnings had to take place here, when we weren't even responsible for it," Greig said.
Initially following the protests, the College received many negative phone calls and other responses, according to the rally's organizers. However, as time went by, the reaction became more positive. Flood and Baum, founders of the Amherst Assembly for Patriotism, received hundreds of emails applauding their efforts, and criticizing the actions of the protesters.
"You have exemplified how during times of struggle we are able to come together as one nation; breaking ethnic, religious and racial barriers," Jeffrey J. Phillips of Oakland, Mich. wrote in a letter to the two organizers.
Another letter included additional words of encouragement to Flood and Baum. "For every person that burns our flag, there are 10,000 that would give their life for it ... There are a lot of people who appreciate what you're doing, so keep it up."
Though flag burnings sparked most of the public attention to the patriotism rally, Flood looked at the attention in a positive light. "It feels more important, but I don't think it changed our goals. [The Assembly] is something we want to do even more now," he said.
"What they did was so disturbing," Flood added. "I think people now will be more interested in promoting the liberties we have in this country."
The Amherst Assembly for Patriotism was founded in the weeks following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The group, which according to its mission statement is "entirely free from partisan politics," seeks to "inform, celebrate and act to promote patriotism for the United States at Amherst College."
"It is kind of ironic that the protesters have made people think about what it means to be an American," Baum said. "And that's our purpose; to talk to people about what it means to be an American. Despite political differences, we all have something in common and that is a love for this country."
The Assembly held its first meeting on Thursday, when the group discussed plans for the future, including the possibility of working together with students from different schools to organize patriotism rallies on other campuses.