Posted on 06/13/2006 3:09:26 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
Only 26 percent of Americans believe that their country is headed in the right direction, according to an Associated Press poll released last week. But surely brighter days are coming, thanks to the farsighted leadership of the U.S. Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), one of the leading candidates for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, apparently believes that what our country really needs at this moment in its history the thing that's gonna pull us out of our national funk and set us straight again is an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that bans flag burning.
So within two weeks, Frist will insist that the Senate set aside business he considers less important so it can turn its attention to the crucial question of flag burning.
There are two ways to interpret Frist's insistence on taking up yet another proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to join other critically important amendments such as those guaranteeing the freedoms of speech and religion.
One is that Frist sincerely believes that once it is against the law to burn flags in this country, the war in Iraq will begin to wind down, the price of gasoline will drop, health insurance will become available and affordable to all, scientists will discover that global warming isn't really a problem after all, our national debt will begin to shrink and illegal immigrants will stop flowing across our borders.
Or, Frist believes that pushing the amendment will somehow boost his political career and that of his fellow Republicans.
If so, he may be right. Despite all the problems we face and the growing realization among many Americans that it is time to get serious and start fixing what is wrong with our country despite all that, maybe it is still possible to distract the American people with issues that are designed to anger and inflame us while not resolving a darn thing.
Maybe ... or maybe not.
the Constitution is symbolic speech--it has become a thing
of wax in the hands of the judiciary your clever provocation
displays your intent but distracts from the issues discussed.
"start fixing what is wrong with our country"
Yeah, lets see the politicians define "wrong" first...
This flag issue is a non-starter/waste of time....
I agree with you. Freedom of speech means nothing if I cannot go out and say something that you do not like.
Go burn China's flag in China and see what happens - that's the difference.
And no, burning the flag is not the same thing as screaming fire in a theater.
Now I do consider burning the flag as fighting words. And if someone smacks you in the head as a result - too bad.
It is ALREADY against the law:
Title 18, USC
Sec. 700. Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties
(a)(1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(2) This subsection does not prohibit any conduct consisting of the disposal of a flag when it has become worn or soiled.
(b) As used in this section, the term "flag of the United States" means any flag of the United States, or any part thereof, made of any substance, of any size, in a form that is commonly displayed.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as indicating an intent on the part of Congress to deprive any State, territory, possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of jurisdiction over any offense over which it would have jurisdiction in the absence of this section.
(d)(1) An appeal may be taken directly to the Supreme Court of the United States from any interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order issued by a United States district court ruling upon the constitutionality of subsection (a).
(2) The Supreme Court shall, if it has not previously ruled on the question, accept jurisdiction over the appeal and advance on the docket and expedite to the greatest extent possible.
Fixed it for ya.
Excellent point.
Of course we recognize the charade, it's insulting.
Burn it, stomp on it.....do what you will .
You wont in anyway change my heart or soul.You see what I believe in and know to be true is bigger than anything those who live on hate ( or in the stone age ) can destroy.
So let it be freedom of speech.
Could I still burn the Mexican flag?
As long as it is yours to burn on your own property and you aren't violating any fire safety codes.
He's on the AJC Editorial board so he probably has a say in every piece that winds up in the opinion pages.
Jaw-dropping partisan hack writing if I ever saw it. I had to look twice to see that it was from the Atlanta fishwrap rather than either the NYT or WaPo fishwrap.
Not worth the effort to try to read all the way through.
We aren't being tossed a bone, we're having a bone waved in front of our noses while the other hand reaches around to pick our pocket. For it to be a bone the amendment would have to have a ghost of a chance of passing.
I guess that means the GOP leadership is too stupid to realize we see through their political ploy?
I do not share this author's opinion, however, that the Senate would be doing anything useful (or even not harmful) if it was not distracted by these 'ginned up issues. If the Senate could just go out of session for much of the year, that would suit me fine. Failing that, I prefer they waste their time chasing their own tails over flag burning than dealing with anything substantive.
No he's not. He was the library cop on a Seinfeld episode.
Never mind.
Forty-odd states have done exactly that through amendments to their state Constitutions.
This is a perennial issue only because judges have denied the people the right to decide about what's appropriate to protect the flag and a few judges have scuppered constitutional amendments to protect marriage because they believe their elite opinion is superior to that of the people.
I'm not aware of a single instance where a state amendment concerning marriage was overturned by the federal courts.
If the Senate can take the time to honor KKK Byrd, it certainly can take time to talk about the flag.
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