Orange County Register: Burning whose flag?

[question everything]

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Burning whose flag?


With an ongoing war in Iraq, Osama bin Laden still in hiding, massive federal budget deficits, and necessary Social Security and Medicare reform on the table, one would think that Congress would have a full plate of serious issues to tackle.

Instead, the House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 286-130 to push forward an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that says, "The Congress shall have the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." The majority had eight votes more than the two-thirds necessary to send it on to the U.S. Senate. The Associated Press reports that there are close to enough votes in that body to then send the measure on to ratification by the states. Supporters would have seven years to secure approval by 38 states.

All due respect to the flag, but the discussion amounts to little more than a foolish symbolic effort. Only a handful of malcontents ever burn the flag, and the flag itself is not something sacred, even as it stands as an important symbol of the country and its commitment to freedom. Freedom, in fact, would only be undermined if the government were given authority to punish individuals who do not share the same love of the flag as the majority of citizens. And the term "desecration" is nebulous enough that we can imagine prosecutions for infractions far less than flag burning.


(snip)

There should be nothing legally wrong with burning one's own flag on one's own property. Burning someone else's flag, or burning it on someone else's property, or even on public property, is something altogether different, but not something that would require a constitutional amendment to fix. We should resist tinkering with the Constitution except for truly fundamental issues, such as eliminating slavery.

Rather than stick up for a piece of cloth, members of Congress ought to stick up for the founding principles of the nation. They ought to pursue substance over symbolism. Perhaps the Senate will say no, thus sparing a seven-year fight in state legislatures across the country. Really, there are more serious battles to fight.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/06/23/sections/commentary/editorials/article_570550.php

[EarlG]

1. If they're talking "physical desecration"

are they going to go after all those people who are flying ratty, tattered flags from the windows of their cars?

When I walk down the street:

Number of times I've seen someone burning a flag = zero

Number of times I've seen someone flying a shredded Stars and Stripes from the window of their car = too many to count

And what about this guy?



Does having the flag wrapped around your ballsack count as "physical desecration?"

Just wondering.

[Dr.Phool]

2. I've been around for a while now.

I attended and helped organize all the major anti-war protests in the early '70s. In 35 years, I have seen exactly ONE flag burned.

Believe it or not, it was actually against the law in some places to wear an American flag shirt back then. Abbie Hoffman started that fashion statement, by wearing one before the House Un-american Activities Committee.That was before the Supreme Court ruled that it was an unconstitional violation of free speech. And before the Republican scoundrels started wrapping themselves in it to cover their criminal activities.

[question everything]

3. When Barbara Bush wore a flag like scarf around her neck

some wondered about that, too

And, yes, there are so many ratty flags around restaurants and other "public" building. I've always thought that a flag is supposed to be lowered from sunset to sunrise... but perhaps only for military bases?

[SharonAnn]

5. Or G. Gordon Liddy in a Flag Speedo? It's my favorite obnoxious picture.

Sorry I don't have a place to post it.

Anyway, it's a hoot.

PM me if you want to see it and I'll try to send it to you.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. How do you ratify nothing? The so-called amendment passed

yesterday defines nothing....it just grants Congress more power to itself.."the power to probibit the physical desecration of the flag".
My first question is, "What is the flag? How do you define it? Of what material is it made (cotton, paper, wood, metal)? What consitutes desecration?"

We should oppose this based on the fact that it is meaningless!!