Posted on 06/15/2006 5:34:06 AM PDT by steve-b
It comes at little surprise that the House, again, passed the amendment to outlaw the burning of the American flag. But yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, among other Senate colleagues, announced their support for the June 26th Senate vote on the Flag Desecration Amendment. The announcement came on non-other than Flag Day. How quaint. But don't be too alarmed, it seems a 2/3 majority is still lacking in the Senate. The House has passed a similar amendment half a dozen times in the past few years. While it has never gained enough votes in the Senate, it gets closer every time. The concept itself is ridiculous. Since when does the government have the right to tell people what they can and cannot do in regards to their freedom of expression? Ever heard of a little something called John Stuart Mill's harm principle? It goes a little something like this: you do whatever the hell you want, so long as it doesn't hurt me. Fine. If you want to burn American flags, be my guest. Would I burn it? No. But our Constitution explicitly gives us the right to freedom of expression. It is just a symbol for goodness sake. I don't want the government to force me to sing or pledge to it, so why the hell can't I burn it? This is not just about a flag folks. In the bigger picture, this is just another step toward a fascist society where the government slowly chips away at every right, freedom and individualistic expression you have. Also, take a look at the language of the amendment. One line: "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." How vague can we get? Just how does the government "prohibit?" Does this mean the government can roll the tanks into Union Square and shoot Americans (paid for by YOUR tax dollars), just because protestors decided to get a little crazy with the matchbook? I would hope not. But who's to stop the government if it did? The answer: NO ONE, if the amendment actually passes. If I go out and buy an American Flag at Flags-r-Us, and then decide to burn it, bury it, stomp it, shred it ....whatever ... it's my choice. It's my property, and I can do what I damned well want to do with it. If I burn your flag, that's another matter. Swear out a warrant and have me arrested for destroying your property.
I want you to consider one very important point here. If this flag-burning amendment were to pass, it would be the first constitutional amendment since prohibition to tell you what you cannot do. The entire Bill of Rights to our Constitution sets forth a list of prohibitions for government. Now we have a sizeable portion of the so-called "citizens" who want an amendment telling US what we cannot do; limiting OUR power. Where does this stop?
It's a hideously bad idea, and what we see in Washington is politicians simply pandering to the base emotions, if not the outright ignorance, of the American people. Instead of making the tough choices on items such as government spending, immigration, tax reform and returning our economic liberties, these political hacks are spending time on this nonsense. What's next? An amendment banning speech that others may find offensive? That's where we're headed if this nonsense isn't nipped in the bud.
We already have the necessary legal doctrine for the problem -- jury nullification.
Are either of you suggesting that violence is an appropriate response to flag burning?
Correct!
Therefore...WE DON'T NEED NO STEEENKIN'AMENDMENT! ;^)
In a dictatorship, you have no rights...other than kissing the dictator's ass.
When was the last time somebody burned a flag?
Well of course!! Why it would fly in the face of the pledge the Framers would have us say and the little singsong they all joined in practically every day. Hold what's that? The pledge was written by a Socialist in the 1890s and the national anthem wasn't designated as such until 1931? Good to see 'conservatives' adamantly defending 20th century inventions the Framers never would have envisioned over the protection of a piece of cloth
Idiot
I like it. Succint, to the point, and totally void of an argument. That's the 'conservative' spirit!!
If you want to protest by burning something, this is how you should do it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1525000/images/_1527055_protest1963_150ap.jpg
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