What do the libertarians on FR think about this incident and the students involved in the burning of the U.S. flag and chanting anti-American slogans?
One libertarian's view: These idiots have every right to express themselves, including buring the flag.However, those who hold views contrary to the idiots also have every right to express themselves, including preventing them from buring the flag.
If I, a libertarian, were present at a demonstration in which someone attempted to burn the U.S. flag, I would use excessive force to stop it and suffer, if necessary, the physical or legal consequences of beating the skulls of fools into gravy smears on the pavement.
I am a "small l" libertarian, and I am appalled at these actions. I think anyone who would burn an American flag is the lowest, most ignorant scum on the planet (except maybe for the Muslims).
I think these people should lose whatever grants they have (not that I favor grants in general), and should be shunned by all right thinking Americans (however few there may be in Amherst).
That said, I do think that they are within their rights to burn flags (provided that the flags belonged to them and there was no risk to others from the fire), and would not advocate their arrest.
I'll take that one.
I think they are a bunch of spoilt brats who have spent too much time in the lectures of state financed Marxist profs. However I will defend to the death their right to express such idiotic sentiments. Why, because I don't want you or anyone else telling me what I can think and/or do ( so long as it does not include a tortious offence against others).