Flag burning the next distraction

Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 6/13/06 | Jay Bookman

[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.

[jebeier]

Liberals oppose traditional marriage and the flag. They have yet to come out against apple pie.

Are you kidding, all that sugar and fat! Apple pie should have a Fat Tax imposed to cover the increased societal medicare costs caused by American obesity from eating apple pie.

And don't even get me started on Alar!

[Zeroisanumber]

Because they disregard us, is why these issues remain very much alive in people's minds.

These issues have remained alive because they're convenient hot buttons that simultaneously make the public think that Congress is doing something about an issue that they care about and raise tons of cash.

Do you think for one minute that GOP operators inside the beltway actually want Roe vs. Wade overturned? Or A marriage amendment passed? Or a flag burning banned? Friend, they sit up at night thinking of ways to make sure that it will never happen.

[OldFriend]

Well, unlike you, I want to see the dems standing up and insisting it's a good thing to burn our flag.

According to their reasoning criticizing your government is the most patriotic act of all and flag burning must come in second, especially when we're being threatened every day by islamocrazies.

[jebeier]

I think it's the equivalent of inciting a riot or yelling "Fire!" in a theater that is not burning.

Except for the fact that whether or not the theater is on fire is a matter for political debate.

For instance, If Algore had managed to steal Florida in 2000 through vote manipulation in Palm Beach County, I would probably have done all sorts of outrageous things, up to and including burning the flag. This might have offended some people.

[Diggler]

The very fact that we have the right to burn the flag is what makes our flag so important in the first place.

Freedom of speech and the ability to speak out against our government is a rarity in this world.

That being said, I'd kick a flag-burner's ass.

[armydawg1]

Jay Bookman is the typical hard core left editorial writer on the staff of the Atlanta newspaper.

[Pravious]

This and the gay marriage thing are simply insulting. "Well, we know we're not doing anything about issues you guys care about, so we'll bring up these BS issues [that are sure to lose anyway], thereby making it seem like we're doing something. Then you'll shut up about immigration or tax reform or anything else and we can get back to things that REALLY count, like running for re-election, taking a few bribes, and planning what to do when our vacation resumes next month..."

[LIConFem]

"The flag is a symbol of our country and to burn the flag is to symbolically say..."

The flag is a symbol of freedom. To attempt to "protect" that symbol by curtailing the very freedoms it symbolizes is absurd. It cheapens the symbol itself. That's a far worse act of desecration than burning a single flag.

[rebelyell7]

Forget the details of the flag burning itself -- personally I think it should be legal because I tend more toward libertarian conservativism -- what infuriates me is the blatant assumption that conservatives are SO FRICKING STUPID that they can sell us out, trot out the same 3 hot button issues (which they have NO DESIRE to see actual change in because then they couldn't use them anymore) every two years and still get our support.

I will not be voting for any pro-amnesty candidates this fall, regardless of party, and I will be informing the candidates of this as well. It is not just the importance of the immigration issue, it is the need to send a message that you cannot blow us off for 2 years and then expect me to vote for you because you brought up a vote on a gay marriage amendment you knew would never have the slightest chance of passing.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Politicians wake up!....The American Public has had it up to here with you!...Your headed east and we are going west..HELLO??

[TomGuy]

The marriage amendment distraction last week fell flat.

Hasn't a previous SC already implied that any such amendment would be a violation of free speech/expression?

[Oshkalaboomboom]

No he's not. He was the library cop on a Seinfeld episode.

I've never seen an episode of Seinfeld.

[leadpenny]

I figured. It's just my way of doing a Seinfeld check. I'm addicted.

[SmoothTalker]

It is nothing but a bone. A pointless amendment with zero chance of passing aimed at making us forget about more important issues like spending and our southern border. The party elites must really think the base is stupid if they think that all they need to do to keep us voting is to bring up issues like this every tight election cycle.

Even if this were passed it'd be a solution to a nonexistent problem. How many times in your life have you been walking down the street and seen someone burning a flag? Probably never or at most a couple of times. How often do you even hear of a flag burned in your local community? Probably never or once a decade. Furthermore as a libertarian I don't like the idea of an amendment on flag burning in the first place. Sounds like something you'd see out of Saddam's Iraq or some two bit dictatorship. It doesn't sound like a measure a free nation would enact. I tend to think there should be a pretty high threshold when it comes to the government regulating conduct and this doesn't come close to meeting it.

[SmoothTalker]

"These are our versions of problems we don't want to solve. As long as they are never solved, the 'Pubbies can campaign on them forever, kind of like the Donks with health care costs and perceived racism."

To be honest I think abortion is that way for a lot of the party elites. I think they'd rather be able to keep it as a rallying cry for the base than ever do anything to end the abomination.

[SmoothTalker]

"The very fact that we have the right to burn the flag is what makes our flag so important in the first place.

Freedom of speech and the ability to speak out against our government is a rarity in this world.

That being said, I'd kick a flag-burner's ass."

Bingo!

[jebeier]

To be honest I think abortion is that way for a lot of the party elites. I think they'd rather be able to keep it as a rallying cry for the base than ever do anything to end the abomination.

You're absolutely right about that. I considered adding abortion to my list of problems that nobody wants to solve(on both sides) in my original post. But that would have been waving the bloody shirt, and I didn't want to set people off too bad.

But in my heart of hearts, I think the 'Pubbies are letting abortion continue because the coalition would fall apart once it has been eliminated.

[xp38]

No that would fall under hate speech laws. Keep up. :)

[bigdcaldavis]

"Liberals oppose traditional marriage and the flag. They have yet to come out against apple pie."

Uh, liberals already attack politically-incorrect foods with their CSPI and PeTA front groups. Apple pie is my favorite dessert, and according to the food nazis, "if it tastes good, it's politically-incorrect".

[bigdcaldavis]

Speaking of diet/sugar-free stuff, did you see a story this week on the internet about kids actually SNORTING Crystal Light to get an "aspartame buzz"? I might post that story on here.