Flag Burning

[downzero]

And that's the problem with extreme responses to abhorrent speech: they give it a bigger platform and a wider audience. Snyder has given Phelps the chance to have the Supreme Court validate him. If anyone thought the man was insufferable before...

I would put it more simply. It's a rational response to a madman who (rightfully) feels his rights are being violated.

Phelps DID go to law school and was once a practicing lawyer. Getting disbarred didn't stop him from building the perfect case when a state passed an unconstitutional law.

 

[MrSmitty]

I started this thread to air my thoughts on Flag burning I am glad it had started so much discussion, as a veteran I hold that flag very close to my heart. I've lived in countries where just disaggreeing with the "leader" was punishable......hmm kinda like here, right now...... with Hussein??

 

[j706]

The people that say it's ok to burn the flag have probably never served their country under that flag. Yes the flag is a symbol of this country and what we stand for. By burning said flag you are disgracing this country and those that have fought to protect the country and the flag. Non military people will never understand the pride and emotion that those of us that have served feel when we see the flag flying. I don't care if I go to jail, you burn the flag in front of me I'm going to do everything I can to hurt you. It amazes me that those that have done the least for the country expect the most. Try earning it sometime. Somebody paid for your freedom.

Tell em brother!!!!!

 

[DocGlock86]

I know this Thread is a tad old but I wanted to say, they have the right and freedom to burn the flag but I also have the right and freedom to show up at one of their next "flag burning" events with the biggest flag waving high and biggest sound system blasting our National Anthem.

Indianapolis IN | Chapter 60 | Iraq Veterans Against the War

Let's not stoop to their level with violence but when 13 show to burn the flag, 13,000 should show up and wave the flag high and proud.

Just sayin...

 

[Fletch]

I know this Thread is a tad old but I wanted to say, they have the right and freedom to burn the flag but I also have the right and freedom to show up at one of their next "flag burning" events with the biggest flag waving high and biggest sound system blasting our National Anthem.

Indianapolis IN | Chapter 60 | Iraq Veterans Against the War

Let's not stoop to their level with violence but when 13 show to burn the flag, 13,000 should show up and wave the flag high and proud.

Just sayin...

Absolutely! I'm 100% in favor of this sort of response.

 

[ATM]

Many years ago on July 4th, the girl I was dating brought a small American flag with her as we headed to the city park for the festivities prior to the fireworks that evening.

As we stopped for backed up traffic, she rolled down the window of my van and got out her lighter.
I asked what she thought she was doing.

Her: "I'm going to burn the flag, it's my right!"

Me: "Oh. Cool. Get out."

Her: "What?" "FINE!"

I watched as she put the flame to the obviously flame retardant fabric of this proud little flag on a stick.
Perhaps she charred it a bit but certainly not with the fanfare she had envisioned.

Traffic moved and I drove away - left her standing right there in the park.
Part of me wanted to laugh at her failure but her choice to try it had actually disturbed me and it didn't seem all that funny.

(I do find it a bit funnier now as I recall the events.)

That relationship didn't last much longer. Meh.

Wave it high and proud, INGO.

 

[E5RANGER375]

Many years ago on July 4th, the girl I was dating brought a small American flag with her as we headed to the city park for the festivities prior to the fireworks that evening.

As we stopped for backed up traffic, she rolled down the window of my van and got out her lighter.
I asked what she thought she was doing.

Her: "I'm going to burn the flag, it's my right!"

Me: "Oh. Cool. Get out."

Her: "What?" "FINE!"

I watched as she put the flame to the obviously flame retardant fabric of this proud little flag on a stick.
Perhaps she charred it a bit but certainly not with the fanfare she had envisioned.

Traffic moved and I drove away - left her standing right there in the park.
Part of me wanted to laugh at her failure but her choice to try it had actually disturbed me and it didn't seem all that funny.

(I do find it a bit funnier now as I recall the events.)

That relationship didn't last much longer. Meh.

Wave it high and proud, INGO.

HELL YES!!! REP INCOMING!!! leave the ho on the curb. i love it.

 

[downzero]

No need to pass a law. The first amendment already makes it legal.

Actually there's no reason to pass any law to make something legal. It's legal unless there's a law against it.

 

[T-rav]

Remember the good old days. Seems only very few of us hold the flag close to us as a symbol for what she means. FLY EM HIG BOYS!!!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZzeEaBHUBM]YouTube - The Greatest Play In Baseball History- Rick Monday[/ame]

 

[rambone]

I believe that everyone in this thread loves their country. But how many of you love your Government?

I for one, hate the government as it stands today, particularly the Federal Government. I don't like the ways it has grown and the way our rights have been taken away one by one. I don't like that you have to have permits, licenses, registrations, and tax stamps to do practically everything. That's not freedom, that's control.

I weigh every discussion in terms of individual rights vs. powers of the government. I would be hard pressed to ever advocate giving the government more power.

Burning a flag, desecrating a Bible, telling a racist joke, taking the Lord's name in vain, painting the president up like The Joker, or pissing on a copy of the Constitution... these things might be offensive, but I've got thick enough skin to not let it bother me. The thing that I hold sacred is liberty.

We do not have a right to not be offended. But I also know that we don't have the right to assault people for offending us. Thank God my right to carry is not dependent on anyone's emotional response to seeing me do it.

The most patriotic thing that we can achieve in our lifetimes is to successfully repeal unconstitutional laws and programs and regain some liberty for yourselves and your posterity. To me, patriotism is stopping government growth, not giving it more power over us.

Which side are you all really on? More government control, or protecting individual rights of expression? Which side do you think Thomas Jefferson would be on this issue?

 

[E5RANGER375]

I believe that everyone in this thread loves their country. But how many of you love your Government?

I for one, hate the government as it stands today, particularly the Federal Government. I don't like the ways it has grown and the way our rights have been taken away one by one. I don't like that you have to have permits, licenses, registrations, and tax stamps to do practically everything. That's not freedom, that's control.

I weigh every discussion in terms of individual rights vs. powers of the government. I would be hard pressed to ever advocate giving the government more power.

Burning a flag, desecrating a Bible, telling a racist joke, taking the Lord's name in vain, painting the president up like The Joker, or pissing on a copy of the Constitution... these things might be offensive, but I've got thick enough skin to not let it bother me. The thing that I hold sacred is liberty.

We do not have a right to not be offended. But I also know that we don't have the right to assault people for offending us. Thank God my right to carry is not dependent on anyone's emotional response to seeing me do it.

The most patriotic thing that we can achieve in our lifetimes is to successfully repeal unconstitutional laws and programs and regain some liberty for yourselves and your posterity. To me, patriotism is stopping government growth, not giving it more power over us.

Which side are you all really on? More government control, or protecting individual rights of expression? Which side do you think Thomas Jefferson would be on this issue?

I think that if Thomas Jefferson were alive today, he would be boiling tar, and heading to bed bath & beyond for some down comforters, and using the feathers. I only wish I could be 1/4th the Patriot he was.

 

[ihateiraq]

I think that if Thomas Jefferson were alive today, he would be boiling tar, and heading to bed bath & beyond for some down comforters, and using the feathers. I only wish I could be 1/4th the Patriot he was.

hed be heading to bed bath and beyond alright. to get new sheets after his latest mixed child was born.

 

[E5RANGER375]

hed be heading to bed bath and beyond alright. to get new sheets after his latest mixed child was born.

oh snap

 

[ihateiraq]

oh snap

yea, i went there.

 

[Duncan]

don't think burning a flag is gonna hurt anyone?....i have a 80yr old father who says diffrent...he's hurt and killed alot of ppl for that flag....believe me...burn a flag in our neck of the woods....someone is getting hurt..

With all due respect ... I assume your father is a veteran ( thank you sir )
Your father killed people to defend the US Constitution .
Nothing more or less .
That is what he took an oath to .
He an millions of others did not take an oath to the flag .
thanks

 

[Movealongmovealong]

Flag burning.... is the official way to dispose of a U.S. flag.

 

[dross]

Because someone has a right to do something doesn't mean they are doing a good thing. We have the right to do lots of digusting things. You have the right to avoid a flag burner, to not hire one, to refuse to associate with one.

If you punch a person burning a flag in protest, you're the bad guy. He may be disgusting, but he was disgusting within his rights. By punching him, you've become an oppressor, exactly what our flag stands against.

Flag burners are idiots with no sense of irony, but those who attack them physically are much worse.

Also, as a veteran, I get tired of people wearing their veteran status on their sleeve as if it hangs a wreath of truth or righteousness around their opinion. Back up your opinions and beliefs without pulling a trump card of military service. It cheapens your service and it reminds me of those who pull out their cop card every time someone points out a time when LEOs overstep their authority.

I'm a veteran, I despise flag-burning as a protest, yet I hold to the higher principle of free speech, even speech I detest.

 

[christman]

http://www.emailgoodies.faketrix.co...erican-flag-burner-terrorist-catches-fire.jpg

 

[lashicoN]

First time I've got to use that icon! Yippee!

 

[IndyMonkey]