At present this is legal according to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court,the Washington Monument,Lincoln Memorial and the Statue of Liberty are also symbols of our great Nation.Do you think they would consider it a political statment to burn them to ashes if you disagreed with the premise of any one of them? Call your Congressperson.Tell them to vote for the ammendment or vote them out!Seriously,what do you think phylisophically?
2006-06-28 05:46:59 · 20 answers · asked by thetdw 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Civic Participation
I cary a copy of the U.S. Constitution in my wallet.It contains the Bill of Rights.I deffie anyone to show me where it says we have the freedom of "expression".Speech is defined as oral or spoken word.How can a physical act be construed as "speech"?Do you think our Founding Fathers Didn't know the meaning of the words they chose for such an important document?
2006-06-28 06:32:01 · update #1
Who "purchased" all these Monuments?Our tax dollars.Therefore they in part belong to me.Not the government.
2006-06-28 16:49:47 · update #2
Symbols are just that, symbols.
Your analogy is a bit off. All the buildings and monuments you listed are one of a kind items. Could someone burn a flag they purchased? Sure, why not. Could someone burn "the specific flag" which inspired the Star Spangled Banner? Not without great repercussions.
I admire your conviction. Don't think of my disagreement as a criticism but a suggestion to better improve your message of conviction.
2006-06-28 05:52:37 · answer #1 · answered by sir_galahad_ks 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think it's part of the freedom of expression that we are granted as Americans. It's an unusual and important freedom, and it's part of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights has never been amended, and with this recent... and very close... vote, it looks like it will continue as it is.
The flag is a symbol. It's an important symbol to many people, but it's not the same thing as a monument. Of course desecration of the Lincoln Memorial can be prosecuted... that's government property, art, and a monument. The flag can be private property, and it's a symbol, not a monument.
People have not died for the flag. They've died for their country... and they've died for the very freedoms that a law prohibiting flag burning would start to chip away at, start to take away.
I don't think it's respectful to burn the flag, nor to drape it over the body or anything else. But I definitely support the freedom to burn it as part of the freedom of expression. Disagreeing, but allowing the disagreement, is part of what makes the country strong. Prohibiting freedoms is a move toward an oppressive government and it's not the way I think we want to go as a country.
2006-06-28 12:53:45 · answer #2 · answered by JStrat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so what about something that looks almost just like an american flag? say its missing one star? five stars? a stripe? uses a light blue instead of a darker blue? homemade verses "officially" made.
as for burning a memorial or the statue of liberty, i'm sure it would be considered a political statement, but that is also a whole different story, its at best arson and reckless endangerment.
now this might sound silly to you, but if we limit freedom of speech to mean only spoken and oral, what about people who use sign language? and then we also run into the idea that at some point art might start getting banned or artists arrested based on something they have made. there are more ways to "speak" than with just words and we as a society recognize this all the time when we talk about or reward or promote music or paintings or sculptures. in fact its just that sort of thing that causes you to point out the flag is a symbol of our great nation, or what the statue of liberty stands for, it is certainly not using oral or spoken words to communicate, its someone who spoke using a structure. Francis Hopkinson or Elizabeth Ross (its slightly disputed) who designed our first flag i'm sure put alot of thought into and tried to "speak" through its design. so to not recognize speech as being possible through anything but oral and spoken word is to in a sense not recognize the flag as the symbol it is...
2006-06-28 14:02:16 · answer #3 · answered by madisonsuicide 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is because our flag IS A SYMBOL for our great nation that it is a political statement to burn it. It's also a freedom of speech and expression issue. As a reporter, no matter how much I hate seeing someone burn the flag of my country, I would rather the arsonist have the "right" to do it, rather than suffer in a country where the freedom to express and speak your mind is stiffled.
I'd rather someone burn the US flag, then knock over the twin towers. If the terrorists just kept burning our flags, then those people would still be alive.
2006-06-28 13:02:16 · answer #4 · answered by moon_bunny75 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I purchase a flag, I can do whatever the hell
I please with it.
What do you have against free speech?
You'll never completely agree with what everyone does or says
in public.
I have no urge to burn a flag. I'm also not threatened physically or
otherwise when someone does burn a flag. Your comparison to
national monuments fails here;
These are structures and real property protected from such
acts since burning or defacing them could cause serious damage to property and/or cause injury.
This country has far more serious issues to deal with at this time.
Quit wasting time on this argument!
2006-06-28 12:58:24 · answer #5 · answered by wlday2002 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I myself believe it is wrong to burn the flag. However, in order to be fair, we need to follow the intent of the constitution, and not only our beliefs (otherwise whoever the majority was could say that everyone has to do what the majority believes). That is why I believe that the flag-burning should be allowed, even though I think it is wrong.
Besides, someone burning a flag doesn't hurt anyone else physically, so it should be allowed as someone's expression of speech.
2006-06-28 12:51:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have seen worse done to the flag. Some people hang them from their car antennas until they are in tatters. Others feel compelled to wear them across their t-shirts or sweaty baseball caps. People who burn the flag are expressing their freedom of speech and while you might disagree with the action, you have to respect their right. Personally, I think it is just a piece of cloth. I respect the country more than the symbol.
2006-06-28 12:53:42 · answer #7 · answered by Sue Chef 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you for real! THIS is the still the home of the free and the brave. Burning a Flag is far different than destroying a work of art, etc. Just pick away at our freedoms till there are no more.
I myself honor my Flag, however, I love this country and it is an outrage to try to take away what the forefathers of our country did to protect this wonderful place to live We have the right to Live Love and Pursue Happiness. Thank God
2006-06-28 12:53:18 · answer #8 · answered by angelofmercy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Burning our flag is like a slap in the face to every man and woman that ever served in the armed forces. When they were in battle and the times desperate,they looked for our flag in the midst of battle to be reassured that support and backup was on the way! I think that there are more positive ways of protesting,rather then burning our flag that represents hope-courage and freedom for all that come here.
2006-06-28 12:59:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
flag burning is free speech if you own the flag idiot
since the government owns the other property you listed, that would be criminal arson
why do you want to live in a country that bans speech or the expression of ideas?
you are a typical example of an american who has no concept of what america is or stands for
2006-06-28 12:51:12 · answer #10 · answered by whoisgod71 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋