I say that it is and should be legal to burn the American flag, do you disagree?

Question

and why

Read the question and think about your answer before telling me to think about my answer

i mean question

This question was meant to point out the difference between beliefs and personal morals.
Sorry to all of the veterans who have confused my belief that a citizen should have a right to burn the flag as a form of political speech as opposed to the easy assumption that I do not love or have pride in the country that I live in.

If you deny someone the right to do something and make it punishable with strict penalties, the occurrence of that act will drastically go down. However, with flag burning, the point is to make a political point about the government, one that I don't agree with, but nonetheless must be protected because when you punish it, the occurrence goes down and when it does occur it is widely publicized. The point of a political message is to hit as many people as possible, so by making the act illegal, you give the potential flag burner exactly what they are looking for, publicity.

"I think people who burn the flag should be immediately banished from this great country" quoting mule

Sounds like the beginning of a warm and snuggly Communist regime.

Answer 1

I do not disagree and the reason is simple....it is protected by the 1st Amendment.... a foundation of our country. Although I don't agree with the action, it is someone's right to do so. I don't agree with Nazis, extremists, or the people who keep putting all these crappy reality TV shows on TV(except bringing back American gladiators... I am pumped for that), but it is their right to say so. Simply because a view is unpopular or unintelligent does not give us the right to stop it. If it is ok to say that it is wrong burn a flag, what next? Is it wrong to criticize politicians? Are they going to say you can't write whatever you want on the Internet? Block you from visiting websites with unpopular views? The question, is where does it stop and the answer is before anyone impedes on those basic rights set forth in the constitution. As for the argument that it shouldn't be legal because of what the troops have done for that representation are just wrong. It is the 1st Amendmant for a reason. It was so important, they wrote it first. Military action defending our freedom is defending the right to govern ourselves in the way we set forward. To say you defend the country and all of its rights and then turn around and say thay we should impede on those rights because you don't like what is being said or done is ridiculous. Troops fight FOR the right to burn a flag. They may not agree with it and neither do I, but the matter is the great sacrifice made by troops is for the right to do it.

Answer 2

I think it's perfectly fine. It blows my mind when people say that they fought for your freedoms (by the way, I call b.s., please name the last time a soldier has gone to war for our civil liberties, not counting mistakes like Iraq where they're just going to "find WMDs"/"take out a tyrant"/"democratize a people"/what, what is it this week?) which means you shouldn't have the right to do that.

There are a lot of uneducated Americans who can't see the big picture or think beyond the tiny scope of what they're familiar with...if I burned a flag, I'm not saying I hate America, I would be making a point that I hate what our leaders in the government stand for, or what it's turning into (see: Patriot Act), etc.

A burning flag can have any message, but of course, aforementioned citizens with a tiny frame of reference and fear of the unknown only have the ability to read "terrorist hugging communist loving hippie" as opposed to...I don't know...growing up and actually reading into the message.

People who may not be all that intelligent tend to oversimplify things..."If you're draping yourself in a flag and sending cookies to the front lines and posting a big-@ss sticker on your car that says 'support our troops', then you're a true Patriotic American". God, it must be awesome to live in that fantasy world. To me, a Patriot is someone who loves this country enough to stand up and say You're Destroying It to the people that are destroying everything it stands for (once again, I reference Patriot Act, and throw in GITMO for good measure).

In life I've found the people that claim to love America and freedom the most are the ones encouraging others with different viewpoints to move to other countries. So I guess what the "true" patriots really love is assimilation, not freedom.

It's easy for a vet to come on and wax poetic about standing on the front lines taking a bullet in the face or something just so back home in America Town, USA, some punk kid can burn a flag...like that's the beauty of our country - that some noble warrior can fight for rights that only the misinformed and rebellious "abuse". This works out great for the vet sharing this beautiful story because they suddenly become a martyr, and anyone who shares a different opinion is suddenly anti-American, or somehow less American than that soldier.

Please get that image out of your mind. It's a powerful piece of propaganda, and an inaccurate reflection of not only what actually happens in battle (again, "fighting for civil liberties" hasn't been done in forever), but the results of those rights back home.

Answer 3

It's free speech, true, but someday, someone's going to figure out that there is a safety issue with starting a fire in a crowd of protesters. You wouldn't light up newspapers, or a shirt, but for some reason a flag is OK. If the government can make you where seat-belts, they can make you stop burning flags in public. If the government decides to call it arson, well let's just say, you better burn those flags now.

Answer 4

i don't recognize approximately statistics, etc. yet truly the only argument i've got heard against the legality of flag burning is that it may offend human beings. some human beings have faith it to be disrespectful. in spite of the undeniable fact that, that's confusing to argue this factor by means of fact flag burning is considered symbolic speech and for that reason secure below the 1st modification. In different words, despite if it ought to offend some human beings, loose speech skill you should positioned up with speech you disagree with. :) in case you should show that those sorts of speech are by some skill risky or damaging, in spite of the undeniable fact that, you have the skill to counter those arguments. good success! :)

Answer 5

I agree go ahead and burn it; but If you are a citizen of the United States you were either born here and are obligated to follow the laws of the land and obide by them, and all that the flag stands for. If you immigrated here from another country, the moment you decided to cross our borders to live here you decided that the US is the best place to live for you, therefore you also made the decision that you will follow the laws and be loyal to the country you chose to live in. If you burn the flag it reresents that you renounce loyalty to the country to which it belongs, you dishonor all who have died for the cause of the that flag, and you disown and renounce all that it stands for!
So yes I believe you should be able to burn the US. flag....at a price. I think a good price to pay would be deportation to the nearest country that would take your scum bag, wothless self and you should never be allowed entrance in the country again for the remaider of your life. If you dont like the USA and you want to burn the flag, then get the HELL OUT! To anyone who wants to burn the flag, I say make sure you wrap yourself in it first you Benedict Arnold! Wrap yourself in it, burn it and go straight to hell!

My great granddaddy, Gen. George Rogers Clark fought in the revolution to help establish this great country. He defeted Gen. Hamilton at the battle of Vincennes on February 23, 1779. You dishonor all who have fought for all the flag and all it stands for when you burn the flag, and you are a disgrace!

Answer 6

hello. I think that burning the USA flag is too Old Hat to be effective anymore. Everybody's doing it. So it's not a great attention getter. Folks who see it burn only get mad at those who burned it, and really don't care about the 'message' you wanted to get across, legal or not.
I wouldn't burn my nation's flag, personally. I know too many veterans, and it seems a little insulting to those guys who believed in defending this nation-and they do, still.
The Stars and Stripes meant something at Iwo Jima, and during our war against King George. I don't see how attaching it to some unrelated 'political statement event' has value otherwise.
I mean, Why Bother?

Answer 7

It is legal. The U.S. Supreme Court has said so. It is a form of political speech, and so I agree with the decision, I just would not burn one myself.

I see rodeo cowboys wearing the flag as a shirt, and that is just as respectful/disrespectful depending on your view.

I grew up when the flag as clothing came into being, and watched how it became worn by those who once cursed those who did it. I also resent patriots who fly flags from their trucks until they are shredded. That is very disrespectful.

Answer 8

Sometimes I wonder why I enlisted and fought to give idiots like your self, and the pothead in the earlier post the right to speak freely. That flag is the representation of everything that this country stands for. If you dont care about it, move somewhere else, and see how much better you like it there. I think people who burn the flag should be immediately banished from this great country. Somebody should have snatched you 2 up along time ago and taught you some pride in where you live. Nothing gives me more chills and tears than watching the flag in the breeze when the National Anthem is played. It reminds me of all the struggles this Country has been through, and all that died to make it what it is. I guess freedom has a different ring for those who have actually fought for it.

9 year USMC vet.

Answer 9

Personally no...but our freedoms demand the most vile types of speech and objection to govt be protected....and personally I hope I never see anyone doing it..cause they may burn as well.
The only time I burn the flag is when it's being retired...and even then it's done with respect...even those car flags you see lying on the raod.

Answer 10

Because there are countries out there that will execute you for burning their flag. You may not agree with everything the US does, but its a country were you have the right to say so, without being beaten, arrested, imprisoned, tortured, or just plain shot.
That alone should earn the flag a little respect.