Do you think that burning the American flag (like as a political statement) is an acceptible practice/ritual?

Question

Is it, in your opinion, a form of speech?

Have you heard about the way that the government wishes to retire older Flags? Apparently, if a flag is old and worn out, it is a disgrace to the government to allow it to fly...so, the proper way to dispose of the flag is to burn it.

Answer 1

Yes .and me kicking butt of who ever does it is my free speech
If burning it is free speech then beating those who burn it is also free speech(should be covered by the same law)

Answer 2

In my opinion it is not a form of speech,it is an act.speech would be if i said,"I don't like the government,i want to burn the flag". It is an action when you whip out the zippo and ignite the flag. As for the acceptable part, i just don't know.Pondering the acceptability of this act just leads to more questions, like "if one disagrees with the governments policy,isn't there less infantile ways to disagree than burning sh!t up"?" Why not volunteer on the campaign staff of someone ,or the political party that you agree with"?When someone takes to the streets and starts burning stuff, that person just appears to the mainstream(that is the vast majority of us regardless if left or right wing admit it or not) to be nothing more than a common hoodlum,no one will listen,and at the end of the day have accomplished squat for your cause.

Answer 3

It seem to me that a country that screams about it's freedoms; Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom to carry arms, and all the other freedoms they scream about, is of late, creating way to insure American have fewer and fewer freedom.
Flag burning in days of old, ways a way of expressing your feelings towards the government at that time, it has little to do with the country. Which would you rather have; the flag burned, or the country burned?
Freedom to express oneself was given to MAN by his creator, not the USA, or any country.
I Live on a Planet called Earth, where is its FLAG! All countries combine to make the world, yet small minded people do their best to destroy it.
Why is there no EARTH FLAG?
There are flags for everything else, does the Earth not deserve a Flag. I think all Flags should be burned, and a united Earth flag Introduced. Then and only then can their be peace, when we all cheer as one under a single banner.

Answer 4

I think that is a contridiction. If they say it is disrespectful to burn it and go ahead and burn it anyway because it's old, what are they telling other people, especially those from other countries? Maybe if it is done in a very respectful way it would not be so much of a contradiction. It's a good point that you have made. I can definitely understand your argument.

What do you think would be a better way to get rid of a flag? I am having trouble thinking of something else to do with it. Should it be buried in the ground like a person? Maybe if they use a different term for it, like they are cremating the flag instead of burning it. There really is no other way to get rid of it unless you recycle the fabric from it to make something else, but that still seems disrespectful to me.

Answer 5

Every time an American flag is burned an angel gets its wings. You know, if patriotic people got as pissed off about things that matter like the unprecedented siezing of power by the Executive branch and the subsequent loss of checks and balances in our government which results in our government being allowed to break the very laws that the rest of us must abide by then our nation might not be in the sorry state that it is right now. Yes I believe that the burning of the American flag is protected by the first amendment just as is my right to state that very fact. If flag burning becomes an amendment to the Constitution what is next? Will it be illegal to say something derogatory about the President?

Answer 6

Well they recommend burning it in a respectful manner to dispose of it. Its not the burning of the flag that people find unacceptable its the manner in which it is done. As far as I'm concerned if you feel like you need to burn the flag to get your point across that is your problem. Although I don't think you will be able change many minds with such strong visual language. A clear concise argument without the antics would be a better way to change people's minds.

Answer 7

Yes the flag is burned when it is no longer fit to fly. This is not only for the government to do. A private citizen can also burn the flag for this reason. It is not disrespectful if you perform the ceremony. I have witnessed this ceremony and it is a very beautiful ceremony. I believe it is wrong to burn the flag for political reasons but I am not sure if it should be against the law.

Answer 8

I don't like it but I think the first amendment protects burning of the flag. It is after all just a symbol. When protestors start burning down government buildings then i'll have a problem.

Answer 9

Well I cannot say that it really accomplishes much, burning a flag to make a point is dumb, your really not proving anything other than showing you can light a match and act like a fool. But it is a form of expression and is protected by the consitution, so I dont think it should be banned.

Answer 10

Basically it is disrespecting one's country. Flag is the symbol of a nation and destroying it wantonly is like smashing one's eyes! Exercising one's fundamental rights is incomparable with wilful destruction of a country's national flag, as for example in a public protest or demonstration! Even the fundamental rights ought to be exercised sensibly, lest it will be misconstrued as a criminal or illegal act. Discarding worn-out flags is like throwing away old garments and doing so in an appropriate way cannot be considered illegal or disrespectful.

Answer 11

There is a differance between the two ways that flags are burned that you are talking about. The first is in anger and distain to America and all that she is. This is completley unacceptable. You can do other things to voice your anger, burning our Flag in anger should be illegal. The second, burning the flag to properly dispose of them is done with ceromony and respect, much akin to having someone cremated. It is done with love and respect.