Why is flag burning allowed ? It's free speach gone mad !?

Question

If it's a cowards right to burn our flag is it not our right to defend it and all our right to run the ethnic grubs who attempt to desecrate our flag and society out of town, I'm thinking about the Cronulla Riots and peace protesting idiots here !

I'm actually Australian and immensly Proud of it ! The flag is so much more than "a piece of cloth", whether it's the Union Jack, the Star Spangled Banner or our own Blue or Red Ensign. Men died for it and the freedoms it signifies, but surely theres a line! Remember the Brittish Zulu Wars, saving the flag was the final stand !

Answer 1

Flag burning must not be allowed because it is against the dignity of the country which it symbolizes.

Answer 2

I saw a great program on the young man burnt the flag at Cronulla he was taken under the wing of a RSL veteran and was to walk the Kokoda trail with many other youngsters who didn't know who he was.
So he spent time bonding with all the young Aussies from all walks of life he said he never mixed with anyone outside his immediate circle of family and friends.
At the end they all got up and said why they were there needless to say the friends he made along the way were shocked at what he had done but he was very ashamed at what he had done.
Especially when he met a very old Fuzzy Wuzzy angel he gained a respect for the diggers and what they sacrificed for the flag and ended seeing it in a new light.
At the end he carried the flag with pride and was taught a very valuable lessons and so were those that walked with him.
Saying all that though I think it should be a crime to burn the flag because the reason we have freedom of speech is because of those that died under it a fact we should never forget.

Answer 3

If you read any of my postings you will know that I am an unapologetic gun toting, inactive Marine, ex cop, NRA Lifetime member and a guy who is not ashamed to say that America is the greatest country on gods green Earth.

You will probably be surprised to hear me say let them burn the flag, it IS protected speech. I will paraphrase the great American Ted Nugent when I say let the As$holes show themselves.

Burn away losers; it only inflames the real Americans and galvanizes us against you. It actually strengthens the meaning of the flag.

But remember flag burners you are not immune to criticism for flag desecration. AND in parts of the US (Oklahoma and Texas especially) you may be subject to what is known as an "as$ whoopin". It is not sponsored by the state so it is not a violation of the constitution, although you will probably not be able to find a lot of sympathetic local cops.

Safest to burn it in more "enlightened" areas of the country like San Francisco.

Answer 4

I am in favor of NOT banning flag burning, only because I think there should be no limits on free speech whatsoever as long as it does not clearly mentally or physically harm someone. I support flag burning when the person has a genuine reason to do so. But it's the people who do it because, "Bush is an idiot" or "America sux!" that tend to piss me off.

Answer 5

Seeing those thugs burning flags during the Cronulla riots made my blood boil.

However, part of having free speech is that you will at times have to hear and see things that you think are wrong. (Hope that makes sense).

Answer 6

it's a flag, a symbol....not a holy relic for crying out loud....it's just another form of expression....kind of like the full monty!

Answer 7

i don't think you are convincing anybody.

a real republican might punctuate as badly as you do, but he'd never be able to stay with the same idea for three whole sentences.

Answer 8

Because it's a piece of cloth.