Burning the Flag Is a Crime

[RunDownHouse]

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The amendment prohits all desecration, not just burning.

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OK, so it seems you're against all desecration of the US flag. As an example, if I burned the flag, you would be opposed and argue it should be illegal. As an example, if I took the flag into a public space and took a crap on it, you would be opposed and argue its illegal.

So my question: if I made a cartoon where the main characters took a [censored] on the American flag, would you be opposed? Would you think it should be illegal to make such a cartoon?

[Copernicus]

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[ QUOTE ]
The amendment prohits all desecration, not just burning.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so it seems you're against all desecration of the US flag. As an example, if I burned the flag, you would be opposed and argue it should be illegal. As an example, if I took the flag into a public space and took a crap on it, you would be opposed and argue its illegal.

So my question: if I made a cartoon where the main characters took a [censored] on the American flag, would you be opposed? Would you think it should be illegal to make such a cartoon?

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Not anymore than making a movie where someone is murdered is murder.

[tolbiny]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The amendment prohits all desecration, not just burning.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so it seems you're against all desecration of the US flag. As an example, if I burned the flag, you would be opposed and argue it should be illegal. As an example, if I took the flag into a public space and took a crap on it, you would be opposed and argue its illegal.

So my question: if I made a cartoon where the main characters took a [censored] on the American flag, would you be opposed? Would you think it should be illegal to make such a cartoon?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not anymore than making a movie where someone is murdered is murder.

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So am i allowed to burn towels with the american flag design? Two problems i always have with legislation like this is what the definition of a flag, and what the definition of desacration are.

[Dan.]

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FS Key didnt write and we dont sing about the Constitution before every sporting event. A copy of the Constitution wasnt raised at Iwo Jima.

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Wasn't it? Flags have no intrinsic meaning. A flag is a icon for the country it represents. So singing about "the flag" before sporting events is singing about America. A 'flag' wasn't raised at Iwo Jima; American ideals were planted there. The flag means nothing without the country backing it up, and part of this country is Amendment I, which protects my right to expression. So if I choose to burn the flag, who cares? It is simply fabric. America is still intact, and infact, is even more so intact. One of the most patriotic acts a person could do is protect someone's right to burn or otherwise destroy an American flag. By doing so, that person demonstates a firm belief in American ideals, extending far beyond a piece of cloth. By allowing the flag to burn, we all reaffirm our belief in the Constitution and ideas that founded this country.

[nicky g]

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I think there is a fine line here and I fall on the side of it not being protected speech mostly from personal experience. I was the quintessential 60s hippie. Long haired, psychedlic eating, grass smoking, Woodstock hippie. I wore an army coat (probably called a "duster" these days") with torn American flag, soaked in cows blood, sewn on the back.

There was no message in wearing it other than "f&*K you", youre establishment and Im not. I dont agree that is protected any more than walking up to someone, getting in their face and yelling "F&^K you".

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Plus ca change...

[Smelly]

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Picture O'Reilly/Limbaugh/Hannity badgering an ACLU lawyer, asking them why they favor burning the flag that OUR SOLDIERS are buried in, and why they want the terrorists to win, etc., and then you'll understand the motivation to have this bill enter the news cycle. I suspect you already understood, anyway.

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I wouldn't throw O'Reilly in with that group. I haven't heard him talk about the amendment but I'd tend to think he';d consider it a free speech issue- I could be wrong though. Hannity is of course an idiot, and Limbaugh is somewhere between the two on the intelligence spectrum.

[jman220]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The amendment prohits all desecration, not just burning.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so it seems you're against all desecration of the US flag. As an example, if I burned the flag, you would be opposed and argue it should be illegal. As an example, if I took the flag into a public space and took a crap on it, you would be opposed and argue its illegal.

So my question: if I made a cartoon where the main characters took a [censored] on the American flag, would you be opposed? Would you think it should be illegal to make such a cartoon?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not anymore than making a movie where someone is murdered is murder.

[/ QUOTE ]

What if you made a movie where someone in the movie burned the American flag as a political message?

What if while filming this movie you actually had to burn the flag?

Where do you draw the line? Should filmakers who want to depict the burning of the American Flag be required to go to Canada to do so?

[kurto]

What I never get about this issue... who the hell is burning flags? This amendment comes up every time some conservative politician needs to make himself look patriotic... but how do they even remember to make it an issue? I can't think of a single time in the past 10-20 years that I remember even seeing a news story about someone in this country burning a flag.

I just can't think of a more non-issue.

I would think that any politician even bringing this up, should be chased out of office. Clearly the person has no idea of what his priorities should be or have any ability to identify problems needing fixing. Add to that the fact that this politician doesn't understand the fundamentals of the freedoms the flag is supposed to represent...

Get these idiots out of office.

[VTDuffman]

I only support constitutional amendments that limit freedoms, so I am in full support of this particular amendment.

[Meech]

The latest installment of the current administrations circle jerk parade.

On cue, in time to rile up ma & pa to fix up the pickup truck and get to the voting booths this fall. Bust out the queers, bust out the flag.