Should it be legal to burn the American flag? I don't believe burning a flag is freedom of speech?

Question

just because the Supreme court says it is.The flag represents not only our nation, but our hope, our future, our unity, and our patriotism. If people want to protest something the government is doing they can do so with words or something else. Burning the flag is so hurtful and offensive to many Americans. I feel it shows ultimate hatred for our nation. So, should it be illegal to burn the flag or is it a valid form of speech.

Ryan's mom....I agree with you wholeheartedly. And kicking their butts would be our freedom of speech!

Answer 1

to the idiots who believe in total freedom of speech and expression. There must be checks and balances in our country.
I could argue the same thing for kiddy porn the cartoon type it is only pictures , masturbating in public who would that hurt ? the list can go on and on. how about cross burning. oh you say that incites hate.
Well Your flag burning does the same thing with in my own soul...Your right to burn infringes upon my right to defend my flag.

Answer 2

I disagree with you for precise right here motives.. a million)Burning the flag is a symbolic action, hence it bodily does no longer harm each and anyone. also in view that this flag represents or a minimum of ought to characterize the values of u.s., one in all them being freedom of speech which the Founding Fathers discovered fairly needed for the society's and persons' well-being, it must be at perfect ironic to prohibit the action of burning it, i.e. expressing an opinion. Burning the flag may be an action which motives seriously adverse thoughts to some, yet it is why people do it, to illustrate a dissapointment of what it now represents and through extrapolation their wish that it represented some thing better. 2) through banning this, you welcome more desirable of it. If it turns into unlawful, people will search for to be doing it more desirable in many cases, because it is going to then be causing even more desirable controversy and could be getting even more desirable interest from the media etc.. As reported above, the numerous clarification for someone burning the flag is the interest and the reactions. finally, no longer liking a rustic's authorities does no longer propose you don't like the country and vice versa. If say one united statesmanagement is catastrophic for the country, although those which income from this disaster help the authorities, does it propose they prefer the country? Burning the flag, as unusual because it ought to sound, may stem from larger concerns and deeper involvement than waving the flag like a robotic, only because you sense good doing it. wondering issues is sweet, extraordinarily in a rustic born through intense beliefs of freedom, liberty and democracy.

Answer 3

It should be legal. And because it is, no one should ever feel they have to. I personally feel any country that has to demand that you respect the flag probably hasn't earned that respect. Oppressive countries have to resort to restricting speech. Free countries can take the criticism.

You are right about the feelings we all hold for the flag. To want to burn the flag should be the ultimate statement about disagreeing with what we are doing. Think about blacks that had to endure Jim Crow laws. Think about Americans of Japanese descent that were put in internment camps. These people had their rights taken away from them and some paid the ultimate price. If, at the time, they were to burn the flag, that would make a strong enough statement about the country's behavior. Unfortunately, I fear that people wouldn't listen, but would heap more abuse upon them.

Answer 4

It's a valid form of free speech. The flag means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. You may see hope in it, while the guy down the street sees it as a symbol of a system that is broken and failed. Flags are symbols, and symbols can convey lots of different meanings. Look at the swastika. It comes from the sanskrit, and means "to be good". It's one of the oldest symbols in the world and was in wide use. Even today, it's a holy symbol in buddhism and hinduism. But the nazi's usurped the symbol to such an extent that very few people know it's original meaning.

I may not like flag burning, but I don't think it should be a crime.

Answer 5

This is one of those non-issues that politicians use to polarize elections. By speaking out against a flag burning ban you are open to accusations of being a bad person or American. The issues we should be focused on are things that actually effect us. Health care. Education. Energy policy. Iran as a rising threat. Urban blight. Instead we get the death penalty, gay marriage, and flag burning. WHO CARES IF SOMEONE BURNS A FLAG?!?!?

Someone who burns a flag is an idiot and a schmuck. I wouldn't associate with someone who did that. HOWEVER...does it really effect my day to day life if someone is a schmuck and burns a flag? I DON'T REALLY CARE. There are all kinds of idiots out there. I can't be bothered to care about legislation to prevent every stupid thing people can do.

The death penalty is a divisive issue...but the truth is that it effects VERY few people. Should we debate it? Sure. Should it be in debates as much as education policy? NO!

Gay marriage is another one. The entire issue is about economic benefits. That's the real opposition. How many people does it really effect if two men marry? The biggest impact is economic. The economic effect of gay marriage just doesn't strike me as being as important as billions of dollars in Tax cuts while we increase war time spending. That concerns me.

It's classic bate and switch debate. One hand shows you gay marriage while the other hides education cuts. It's DIFFICULT to discuss, debate, and solve issues like immigration. It's a lot easier to drum up religious fervor about gays.

I would also rather risk living in a society with an idiot flag burner then one that begins to legislate behavior that clearly is protest. Stupid protest? Sure. But protest. This country survived 9/11 despite having its weakest leadership in modern history. I think it can survive a few morons who burn flags.

Answer 6

But even if the Supreme Court says it is illigal, what will you do if you see an Iraki, an Afghan, an Iranian burning your flag ? Sue him ? There is nothing you can do about it.

The questions is why do you people feel the need to burn the US flag ? It is not because they like it because they DO hate America.

Even though it is disrespecful to burn one's country's flag, it is indeed a freedom of speech , just like sayong the president of a country is a ***.

Answer 7

Icon worship leads to savagery. The U.S. flag is burned everyday as part of properly disposing of it, especially after it has touched the ground. Everyone has something that other people do that deeply offends their beliefs. But, that's tough. We don't imprison people for wearing religious jewelry, and seeing religious symbols can make many people very sick to their stomachs. We don't ban Christmas trees in people's houses and yards, although many Christian faiths feel terrible anxiety over that pagan ritual. Many people get sick to their stomachs over the sight of people eating meat in restaurants, so, should we ban meat eating in public so as not to offend some people? I personally am appalled by the sight of a tree being cut down or being burned, which is truly a crime against life. That is MY sensibility, though. I will not impose that onto others, because I am an American. Burning a cloth that represents something is not a crime against life. Buck up. It's a pluralistic society and, although I might not approve of what you say or dance or paint or burn, this is the United States of America and I would fight to the death to protect your right to to express yourself freely in your art and statements and songs and dances and theater and demonstrations. This is a land where people of ALL sensibilities have a safe common ground. This land is not about the fascist savagery of imposing one's set of sensibilities upon everyone else. THAT principle of freedom and pluralism is what the flag is really all about.

Answer 8

Even free speech has it's limitations! When the whole free speech thing was written - there were no issues in our country like we have today with people who live hear, enjoy our freedoms, have good jobs and take advantage of all the country has to offer while burning the flag - anyone who would burn the flag should move to a third world country and enjoy the poverty! They would have even more reason to burn the flag of many other countries. It's like spitting on the faces of those who gave their lives for our freedoms. It's just unblieveable what we allow and call "freedom of speech." So, we can't mix religion and school - but we can burn the flag??? all based on the same principle. Early on they used the bible in our schools for a textbook for crying in the sink. School prayer was removed in 1960 separation of church and state - but what about the freedom of speech then?

Answer 9

Saying someone can't burn a flag IS most certainly an infringement on civil rights. Would be similar to saying that a girl can't burn pictures of her ex-boyfriend when he bones her sister.

Instead we should all just make burning a flag a huge pain in the butt to even consider, then people won't want to... kinda like smoking, right?

Answer 10

It is a valid form of free speech as long as you burn your own flag. The case that decided it was interesting in that the guy that burned it stole it from in front of a bank. They could have nailed him for theft and vandalism of property, then thrown the book at him and it would have passed appeals without a problem.

One other little tid-bit: The only way to properly dispose of a damaged American Flag is to - you guessed it - burn it. It is considered desecration just to throw it in the trash.

Be careful how you write that law...

-Dio

Answer 11

Oh, yeah, they got it labeled as "freedom of expression," because somebody pointed out there's really no speech involved! But would the cops stand around and do nothing if you'd take a sheet of cotton fabric, the same size as the flag, tie it to a pole, and burn it in a public place? Of course not. You're creating a nuisance, a fire hazard, disturbing the peace, etc etc... But a US flag? oh, yeah, you have a constitutional right to burn that. What's the friggin' difference? You can't burn a cross, because that's b-a-d and anti-whichever religion complains. But a US flag? Sure thing... Try going to any other country in the world and burn their flag. See how long it takes them to give you the VIP treatment in their prison!