Posted on 08/03/2005 12:00:54 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
A new statewide, independent poll again confirmed overwhelming support for a constitutional amendment that would return to Americans their right to protect the flag of the United States from acts of physical desecration.
The survey queried 502 adults comprised of 251 men and 251 women 18 years of age and older living in private households in the state of Utah and was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. Seventy percent say they favor such an amendment, with 78 percent saying it is somewhat important to extremely important to protect Old Glory.
"After reading about recent polls conducted in Utah that alleged a drop in support of the amendment we commissioned a new, non-partisan, independent poll," said Maj. Gen. Patrick H. Brady, U.S. Army (Ret.), chairman of the Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc. "Not surprisingly, the poll reaffirmed what previous polls over the past 15 years have shown in Utah and nationally: the American people overwhelmingly want the right to protect their flag returned to them."
Sen. Robert Bennett is sponsoring legislation that would make it a crime for a person to intentionally destroy or damage an American flag if the flag belongs to someone else, or if the act is done solely to incite violence -- a very specific statute.
Brady said since a 5-4 decision of the Supreme Court in 1989 declared flag desecration to be "free speech," federal and state laws that once protected the flag have been ruled unconstitutional. "An amendment is the only way to correct the Court's ruling. If Senator Bennett truly desires a flag protection law, he must first support an amendment that will allow the law to stand."
"Americans have been accused of having short attention spans but in the case of the flag amendment, they have been resolute for 15 years and will continue to be so until the amendment is passed," Brady said. "The people will not give up on this because it's a values issue for Americans. This poll should be a strong message to Sen. Bennett that the people want him to join with Sen. Orrin Hatch and vote yes on Senate Joint Resolution 12, the Hatch-Feinstein flag amendment."
Poll results are similar to a random survey of 1,004 adults nation-wide conducted by Opinion Research Corporation June 16 - 19. In responding to the question, "how important do you think it is to make flag desecration against the law," 81 percent said it was somewhat to extremely important. Another 75 percent said they wanted Congress to pass a flag protection constitutional amendment.
All 50 state legislatures have petitioned Congress for a flag amendment, asking that an amendment be proposed and sent to the states to be ratified. "At that point, we would be pleased to join with Sen. Bennett in crafting a law that will return a right that the Supreme Court has taken from us," Brady said.
Ah yes, the right to throw people in prison for expressing unpopular views.
Sorry to be crass, but I find it much more important to protect the Bill of Rights than to protect a piece of cloth.
How do you feel about "hate" crimes? (not flaming you, just a query)
Abortion?
The American flag is the best symbol in this world. However, islamics (and remember the 60s war protestors like draft dodger clintoon) will burn the flag thinking they'll hurt Americans with that desecration.
They're ridiculous for similar reasons that the flag-burning amendment is. They inflict additional punishment based not on the nature of the crime, but on the criminal's personal views.
In my opinion, passing such a law would smack of the same manner of thinking that got us hate crime legislation. Anything that is a "hate crime" is also "just" a crime and was already covered by existing law.
Besides, I don't want my right to burn a Qur'an subjected to any law that I'm the sure the Islamists would try to get through the minute a law against burning the flag was passed. I can't burn my neighbor's Qur'an, but I sure as heck have the right to burn mine.
Exactly.
I don't care if 100% of people in a state wanted to outlaw free speech or gun ownership, it would still be a terrible idea.
Proof again that Democracy is a flawed idea.
If I buy or make a flag, it belongs to me, not "the nation".
I sure as heck have the right to burn mine.
Pro-Choice?
First thing we will have to do is define what constitutes an "American Flag". Will it include those cartoon versions the Muslims paint and then burn? What about my stars and stripes jacket? A Flag anti-disrespect amendment would be IMPOSSIBLE to enforce, and I have never heard a cogent argument as to why this isn't a States issue. Most flags are made in China anyway.
"American" used to imply that a person is a Citizen of the U.S.A. But it's looking like citizenship has no advantages anymore...just responsibilities (if you know what I mean). And don't even get me started on the "hyphenated-Americans".
You're not seriously suggesting that a flag has Constitutional rights, are you?
That's silly. If you're going to exaggerate to make your point, you have to maintain at least the semblance of a connection or your point is not made.
Why do you believe SCOTUS has the ability to amend the Constitution?
make aflagchild, it belongs to me, not "the nation".
which I'm hoping was made in jest.
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