8 Comments

Roger:
I won’t lose any sleep if the law passed but I have to agree that any moron who buys their own flag and wishes to burn it in a safe manner should be allowed to. I do find it ironic that the many of the anti-flag burning amendment people often back speech restrictions on Campus and pull the plug on cartoons that “offend” and cut off the mike from speeches that reference God in ways that are considered unpolitically correct but their lack of consistency should not be used to back the flag burning laws. I fly my flag proudly and would never let it touch the ground and I am offended by the jerks who get a thrill out of burning the stars and stripes but they have the right to be stupid.

Well, one vote short of having to continue this conversation in earnest. James, Kevin, and Roger are all right of course…as in correct.

I would not object, however, to a public database kept by the government, available to all, that shows proof of any shmucko that chooses to “speak” in so lowly a manner while on U.S. soil (including name and photo). It’s not an illegal act, but might deserve some lasting consequences.

B

I’m mainly in the “free speech is to spot the idiots” camp. However, I have a difficult time getting all worked up about free speech being trampled by an admendment to prevent flag burning, when essentially the same Congress gave us the so-called “Campaign Finance Reform”.

Also let us remember that one can now go out in front of a VA hospital and burn a flag without being touched (legally). Hand out a pamplet about abortion in front of a clinic, you get treated like a mobster (legally).

It seems to me that free speech is only really important to many people when the speech is “liberal”, leftist, or anti-American.

Steven:
You are 100% correct. The left loves not only the freedom to burn the flag but the spirit behind it. The speech codes at our colleges, “hate speech’ laws”, the restrictions on protests in front of abortion clinics are often championed by the very people who wax eloquent about the right to burn the flag. But that is why I can’t back the laws banning flag burning because the left has already been able to restrict free expression that offends their “progressive” ideals. If the flag issue passes the progressives will use that logic and crack down far harder then the right ever would. As much as it pains me to see Old Glory spit on by these narcissitic brats I know that there will be far greater restrictions that will follow from the courts and the progressives that will be far worse then what we have to put up with from the occasional moron who doesn’t know how damn lucky he or she is to hae been born under that glorious symbol of freedom.

I am one of those narcissic brats.

I came pretty damn close if the Supremes had found for Gore.

3 Republicans voted against the Amendment: Bennett(Utah), Chaffee (RI), and McConnell (KY). If I remember rightly, the constitutional challenge to McCain-Feingold featured McConnell as named plaintiff. SCOTUS found the law constitutional, to my continuing perplexity. Net result, for me at least, is that Mitch McConnell is admirable for his constitutionality. I’d hate to see the Constitution cluttered with ad hoc amendments similar to the flag burning ban. I would like to hope Bennett and Chaffee were using the McConnell logic, but doubt Chaffee has any ability to think abstractly.

I abhor the “hate speech” laws. I detest the treatment of protesters in front of abortion clinics (though I dearly want to stand beside the holding a sign that says simply “Judge not, lest ye be judged”). I find it absoltuely unacceptable that Freedom of Speech has become Freedom of Politically Acceptable Speech. I think Rev. Phelps, for example, could be considered the worst possible combination of conservative, christian, idiot all rolled into one. However, I would defend to the death, his right to protest the funerals of our brave dead heros… because as much as I hate him, he’s a fellow citizen.

If the Senate were to have passed this abortion of democracy, I would hope that Americans would have made a clear statement against the fools. But, part of me fears that many wouldn’t have understood or cared about the implications (obviously several senators didn’t).

I would never burn the American flag. I was born and raised as one of Jehovah’s Wittnesses and as such I never pleged aleigence to the banner of our land. However, my parents taught me that although I could not pledge to it, I had to respect it and every freedom it stood for. Freedom of Speech made it possible for us to go from door to door, preaching our beliefs. Freedom of religion, made it possible for us to attend school without being forced to pledge to the flag. We were taught to love the freedoms that this nation provided, even though we were never to be patriotic or join the military.

Though I no longer share my parents religious views, I appreciate the respect they taught me for this great nation.

I would never burn an American flag, but I would defend those Americans that do.

Although I was secretly disappointed, I then realized one thing- it DOES allow me to spot in an instant, the idiots. That gives me great comfort! So burn your flag, speak your “piece” like the fool you are and I’ll be laughing right in front of your face, not behind your back.

Thank God for free speech! Now we can spot the Phelps, the Pat Robertsons, the Al Sharptons, and *gasp* even Star Jones!