Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Flag Desecration Amendment
The United States Congress by just one stingy little vote has preserved the freedom of our nation's people, by rejecting a Constitutional amendment that would have made it illegal to burn or otherwise "desecrate" (to use that emotion-laden, ill-defined term) the flag. The supporters of the amendment say it is needed to protect the integrity and respect for our flag.
I don't think so. In my opinion, passing this amendment is itself an act of desecrating the flag, for it desecrates the principle of freedom of speech, one of the basic freedoms on which this nation was founded and represented on our flag. If people are unhappy with the government, they need to express their grievances in whatever way they feel will get the government to change things. I would not condone some things, like violence, murder, and war, but simply burning a flag (as long as nothing else catches fire) does not harm anything else and is therefore a redress of grievances and is one of the freedoms granted to us by the Bill of Rights. The flag represents freedom, including the freedom to burn it. The day we start telling people that we can't burn the flag because it's disrespectful is the day we take a step towards becoming a totalitarian nation in which even speaking against the government could carry with it a long prison sentence.
I am glad they voted this misconception down, and I hope no one ever brings it up again.
I don't think so. In my opinion, passing this amendment is itself an act of desecrating the flag, for it desecrates the principle of freedom of speech, one of the basic freedoms on which this nation was founded and represented on our flag. If people are unhappy with the government, they need to express their grievances in whatever way they feel will get the government to change things. I would not condone some things, like violence, murder, and war, but simply burning a flag (as long as nothing else catches fire) does not harm anything else and is therefore a redress of grievances and is one of the freedoms granted to us by the Bill of Rights. The flag represents freedom, including the freedom to burn it. The day we start telling people that we can't burn the flag because it's disrespectful is the day we take a step towards becoming a totalitarian nation in which even speaking against the government could carry with it a long prison sentence.
I am glad they voted this misconception down, and I hope no one ever brings it up again.
