Can we ban flag burning to protect the children from second hand smoke?

Answer 1

Let's ban criticism of government to protect the president's ego while we're at it shall we?

Ban flag burning and you're well down the road to banning free speech. You should have a RIGHT to burn it.

Answer 2

A similar question came up during the arguments the Supreme Court heard in Texas vs. Johnson. Justice Scalia asked if the flags burned belonged to the defendants. When told that one of them belonged to the government, he asked why they weren't indicted for destruction of government property.

You probably could have a crime which penalized burning anything without a permit, but then you wouldn't be able to deny permits on the grounds of the political message, and you wouldn't be able to selectively enforce that law.

Anyways, in my opinion, the proper way to deal with flag burners is to ignore them. If you remain unaware of what they're doing, it causes you no harm.

Answer 3

Federal Flag Code requires that the American Flag, "when it is such a condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display should be destroyed in a dignified way preferably by burning."

Answer 4

Daniel: You said "Burning a US flag means you want to destroy the US and its values."

Don't tell me what I mean when I burn a flag, or do anything for that matter. And dont' tell me I can't mean it either. Free speech is free speech.

Answer 5

Unless you are respectfully disposing a wornout flag, there should be no US flag burning in the US. Why? Does that not symbolize treason? Burning a US flag means you want to destroy the US and its values. It is serious.