How come Congress spent time arguing flag burning when we got serious?

Question

stuff going on?

Is flag burning important to you?

Answer 1

I am ex-military and I do not condone flag burning; BUT, with that said, I do honor the freedoms of our country that gives ppl the right to burn the flag in order to protest.

We have so many other issues to deal with and hopefully resolve... we have ppl living under bridges, a war cost out of control, elderly not eating in order to buy medicine, jobs going overseas, ppl working at such low wages that the tax-payers are picking up the cost of their daycare and food stamps, environment going to hell, etc.....

And what are they doing... worrying about a freaking flag.

PS It must be a Washington thing because here in the South, I don't know anyone that would burn a flag. Point is that this is absurd... not like it is a crisis issue.

Answer 2

Jefferson was against the burning of the flag in 1800. I have always thought of him as not only one of the original patriots and designer of our Constitution, but as a true believer in democracy. The man almost single handedly designed America. But in 1776, the act of burning a flag meant something else...it was a direct attack on our ideals as Americans (as well as any country whose flag was burned). Today, a real patriot could, in principle, burn the flag as an act of rebellion against the government and not be against the ideals of Liberty and the Constitution. The Framers also realized that it could be possible, that it could become necessary to take up arms against our own government if it was no longer abiding by the ideals of liberty...voting is supposed to take the place of us killing each other, but who know, in a hundred years it may be necessary for the people to revolt against tyranny once again. i think that if Jefferson was alive today, he might not like the idea of it, but he would not be able to vote for a law banning the burning of the flag.

Anyone working to ban the burning of the flag, doesn't get it.

Answer 3

Nope. At best it is a mataphor for the Constitution which the Repukes are shredding. And the Repuke Congress is moonwalking... trying to look like it is going forward while taking the country backward.... in more ways than anyone can count.
There is NOTHING more important than HONEST elections and, you guessed it, HAVA does EXACTLY the opposite. Down with Dictator Dumbya!!!

Answer 4

1 - Why not?

2 - No, but you're confused if you think that the only purpose of Congress is to discuss serious and important issues. The people of Texas realize this and that's why their legislature meets every other year and then only for 6 months. Now, THAT'S common-sense!

Answer 5

Of course not. It is another one of those 'wedge' issues that Neocons use to take the American public's mind of of their failed policies. More people killed in Iraq, mention flag burning. People find out that the United Arab Emeritz is hired to patrol our ports, start a campaign against gay marriage. The sicko Christian cultists fall for it everytime!

Answer 6

No, it's obviously an attempt to gloss over the real issues like the invasion/war, the economy, wiretapping, etc.

See also gay marriage and stem cells - other attempts at misdirection.

Although I think it is wrong to burn a flag, I don't think Congress should waste my (our) money making laws about it.

Answer 7

Maybe they could foresee the left burning flags this fall at their anti-war protests like they did for Viet Nam.

Answer 8

To get the american people off the topic of the failure in Iraq.

Answer 9

Because it was/is an emotional issue with many people, and affects how people vote. The debate was purely for emotional manipulation.

Answer 10

Don't forget gay marriage.