it was offenseive he told me that I was un-American and that I was taking away his rights. Do you agree with his assessment?
2006-08-09 05:55:01 · 28 answers · asked by Ethan M 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
here is what he said to me
: you say you love america.....but when someone does something to offend you...you want to take their rights away. how american is that.
2006-08-09 05:55:33 · update #1
Yes the upside down flag can mean that a solider is in distress but it has also been used to show protest (this was done often in the sixties to protest Viet Nam) It is saying that you reject the flag and what it stands for. Hence my offence at it.
2006-08-09 06:14:54 · update #2
it's a double edged sword, you have the right to believe what you believe.
2006-08-09 05:58:22 · answer #1 · answered by pharriesand 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You quoted him, but we don't know exactly what you said. Were you rude?
The question of when we have the right to not be offended and in what ways, and when what we're doing is OK, even though it offends someone is a tricky area.
People can be offended by any idea they disagree with, but that doesn't mean everyone else has to shut up. On the other hand, it isn't right to subject people to say, demeaning language or jokes about killing them (as I've seen on this service -- and reported).
On the face of it, I can't see that an upside-down flag is illegitimate (especially if it's true that it means something, and that's what this person might be saying). I mean, compared to hate/kill messages, or the really sick sexual stuff one sees.
2006-08-09 06:10:48 · answer #2 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Truthfully I would much rather see it up side down then burning or stepped on. Also an upside down flag means a country is in distress. People actually use this as a way to get help in times of trouble. I think it is ok as this country is having a lots of problems right now.
2006-08-09 06:02:16 · answer #3 · answered by Stand 4 somthing Please! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He didn't say you were taking away his rights. I would not agree with such an idiotic statement and neither should anyone. You were expressing your displeasure at his speech--his avatar--which is sort of petty but within every American's rights.
" 'here is what he said to me'
: you say you love america.....but when someone does something to offend you...you want to take their rights away. how american is that."
What he said is that you WANTED to take away his rights. Now there's no way of knowing exactly what you wanted... but he's probably right, isn't he?
You would like it to be illegal to display a flag in any way but conventionally accepted ways that amount to positive political speech about the U.S. or its government. True or False?
If it's True then you'd like to deprive someone of a right they currently enjoy. That means he's 100% correct.
If that statement is False then my hat's off to you--you support the very real and important freedom of speech over your reverence for a beloved symbol of America.
Freedom is the real McCoy; the flag, beloved though it may be, is still only a symbol.
In either case you've twisted someone's words to make a straw man for yourself again. It's a bad habit and logic doesn't allow for it. Don't congratulate yourself for feeling superior. That construct is dishonest, pure and simple. It's a lie.
Is that the only way you can get your points across--through attempts at deception? Maybe you should reconsider those beliefs if that's the only way you can support them.
2006-08-10 13:04:01 · answer #4 · answered by Song M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The US flag upside down is a representation of distress and that is all. You have a right to be offended and state your views but he has just as much right to show that up side down flag.
2006-08-09 06:03:52 · answer #5 · answered by jamie s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is not offensive. displaying the flag upside down is a sign of distress. how can you not know that if you served?
ah hah... so you are relying on your own experiences which have biased you against the image of the upside down flag.
why should that matter to this person? you have complained about people desiring more political correctness from you... how is this different? do you want this freedom to offend that you would criticize others for? you already have it. them's the breaks.
2006-08-09 06:00:31 · answer #6 · answered by uncle osbert 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your rights finished where his started. The upside down flag is unamerican, but it is his right to be and act unamerican if he wishes to, that is the beauty of this country. When a soldier gets back from war they put the flag backwards, not upside down.
2006-08-09 06:01:33 · answer #7 · answered by ~*~Sunny~*~ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, freedom of speech also allows freedom for stupid to speak. I personally think it is disrespectful to display the flag upside down.
More than likely the guy was just looking for an issue so he could demonsrate his freedom of stupidity. It appears it was ok for him to excercise that right, but not for you (according to him) to do the same when you called him on something you didn't like. I am seeing that a lot here. It worries me.
2006-08-09 06:03:33 · answer #8 · answered by Mikki 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You were not being unamerican. On the contrary, taking up for a symbol of USA is a very American thing to do.
If we as Americans don't start taking a stand against the disrespect that is displayed against us,we will soon have another 9-11 on our hands. If the guy who argued with you is an american,I think he needs to reevaluate his ideas or get the hell out of this great country.
2006-08-09 06:02:11 · answer #9 · answered by hott.dawg™ 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Be as offended as you want. Tell him so. Thats your right...just like it's his right to display the flag upside down.
2006-08-09 06:24:37 · answer #10 · answered by Franklin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our flag hung upside down is a sign of distress.
Sometimes, when I get fed up with how they are running this country I put my postage stamps (flag) upside down.
You have to admit, we sure ARE in distress.
2006-08-09 06:02:15 · answer #11 · answered by NANCY K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋