Posted on 11/29/2016 10:01:18 AM PST by Kaslin
Donald Trump came under heavy criticism Tuesday after calling for the criminalization of burning the American flag, with critics gasping that the president-elect’s words represent a threat to the First Amendment. However, Trump’s suggestions are similar to a bill pushed in the Senate in 2005 that would criminalize flag burning – a bill that was co-sponsored by then-Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Trump tweeted that there should be “consequences” for the burning of the flag -- including a year in jail or a loss of citizenship -- which is seen by many as an act of desecration.
Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
The president-elect came under immediate fire for his comments. Mother Jones called it “a terrifying sign of how he may crack down on dissent during his administration, even if it means trampling the Constitution in the process."
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However, despite the Supreme Court’s pronouncements on the issue, seeking to criminalize flag burning has been a regular occurance in American politics, and was pushed in 2005 by Trumps’ Democratic presidential rival and former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
In 2005, Clinton co-sponsored the Flag Protection Act which, while it did not call for the stripping of citizenship, made flag burning with the intent to incite violence or disturb the peace punishable by a year in jail and a $100,000 fine.
-- Snip --
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Setting on fire ANYTHING in a public space should be a crime punishable by 30 days in the slammer and a $500 fine.
It should be outlawed. Screw the Court. Or just pass a law LEGALIZING the shooting of people who desecrate the flag.
Exactly. I think telemarketers "should" be hung, drawn and quartered. Of course there are constitutional protections to prevent cruel and unusual punishment. But they still "should" be.
How many thousands of things has Obama said "should" or "shouldn't" happen over the last 8 years? (Most of which haven't happened, or are still happening, even though he's been in charge of them for the last 8 years.
Burning a flag, blowing up a building speech is speech, except when it isn't. We have ObamaCare because of one stupid decision by a judge, we have flag burning for the same reason, one judge made a stupid decision.
Congress can write a law not subject to Judicial review which means the Court has no say about it but for some reason we don't like for voters to know they have that power.
Blowing up a building and flag burning are not analogous. Get real. The analogy would be dousing a flag in gasoline and setting it in the trash bins of the basement and burning down the building. That is not what we are discussing, but you can give it another weak ass try if you’d like.
We have flag burning because people have the freedom to political protest under the constitution. Not because of 1 stupid judge. Congress can write all the laws they want, but this would be an amendment of the constitution. Hopefully enough people value freedom, even when it’s offensive, to not pass a restriction on political speech.
I agree with Trump, 100%.
Is anyone close to Trump able to advise him to take a few minutes to read and gain a basic understanding of the Constitution, preferably before he swears to uphold and defend it?
Maybe the Heritage Foundation or Hillsdale College can help him out.
Trump is saying what a lot of “us” are thinking ...... he’s been doing it on various issues facing the country for the last year and a half. I’ll be curious to see what, if anything, comes out of this.
Have to buy one first.
Ain't happening.
2005! You’re kidding right? THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO and doesn’t count anymore right? The internet never blinks.
Just because HE wants to does not mean HE is going to change the law. Hey, I think they should be in jail, too, but there is that pesky first amendment, that gives ME the right to protest the flag burners.
You said it.
No we have flag burning because five thugs in black robes redefined a simple word to make a political decision that four other black robed thugs didn't agree with.
The Supreme Court is Supreme because they declared themselves to be and Congress let them.
Yes, plus their memory is very short.
actions to do political protests pre-date the court decision you are foaming at the mouth about. What is it about freedom that bothers you so much. There is no right to be free from being offended. Go to your safe space and we’ll tell you when it’s ok to come out.
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