Defend the flag, burn it.

DannyinJapan

DannyinJapan

Joined
Oct 9, 2003
Messages
5,594
I wanted to share my opinion wit you guys on this.
The congress is trying to pass a ban on flag burning.
Personally, I would be quite upset with someone who burned an American flag whereI could see it.
In the same breath, and for the same reasons, I say this:
I would be quite upset if someone told me I couldnt burn the flag because it was a federal offense.

To honor the flag, I believe we must preserve our rights to self expression, especially political self-expression.

Call your congressmen and congresswomen today. Tell them how you feel about the flag burning ban law.
 
Proper disposal of a worn and unpresentable flag is by burning.

Much as I hate the concept of burning the flag as an expression of "free speech," I think I hate the general concept of another freedom being co-opted.

Noah
 
That's the whole problem with democrazy - there are people who disagree ;)

I dont care much for the whole flag thing, then again, I am German. It's kinda weird here, if you'd put up the german flag in your lawn, people would likely think you're a nazi.

Germans in general think they're great, but they don't know if this is ok, so they assume it's better to think they're not.

Anyhow, I think buring the flag shouldn't be banned. It is political expression, and although you might not like it, that's the way it is.

The government might as well invent free speech zones - oh wait, they did that already.

Keno
 
If I saw someone burning a flag I would probably be in jail.At least they wouldn't be burning flags there.
 
I believe we have a right to be stupid. I think the government has more pressing issues on its hands than this old debate.
 
DannyinJapan said:
Personally, I would be quite upset with someone who burned an American flag whereI could see it.
In the same breath, and for the same reasons, I say this:
I would be quite upset if someone told me I couldnt burn the flag because it was a federal offense.
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I have similar thoughts and feelings, and my congresscreatures have heard from me on this issue.
 
I'll fight for someone else's right to burn the flag I love.

The ability to burn that flag is more important than my personal discomfort at the act.

This is lose-lose, but the flag is a symbol of freedom.

There are some things that could be done to a flag that could conceivably convince me to accidentally become hostile for a minute or two, but I don't think defense of the icon should be legislated into national law. We have too many damn laws as it is.

John
 
Acts that are done only because we have freedom is not always pleasant, but compromise it in any way and it can only get worse.
 
Mr.BadExample said:
I believe we have a right to be stupid. I think the government has more pressing issues on its hands than this old debate.
Click to expand...

Amen. Why do they keep focusing on this stuff, and gay marriage, and all this crap that has absolutely nothing to do with my life when folks are losing their pensions they worked their whole life to get, the cost of health insurance is stifling small businesses and individuals, jobs are being exported at a rapid rate, and we still don't really even have any sort of an idea what to do in Iraq. Do we pull out and LOSE and let the civil war begin and allow all the people who were helping us to get killed? Or do we stay in and sink deeper into guerilla war and provide more propaganda and training for terrorists who have infiltrated the country? There's SO many things right now more important.

After 9/11 people started displaying the flag and not just hawks, but everybody to show that we were American and to kind of help us deal with the tragedy. However now I almost feel like the flag is being used as a symbol to stir up a malignant form of nationalisim and rather than a symbol to show the unity of our diversity, I feel like it and the patriotisim stuff is being used to try to make everybody tow the line on some shakey decision making without questioning it.
 
<<There's SO many things right now more important.>>

Agreed...but every time one of these issues comes up I feel like looking over my shoulder to see what disaster is about to take place that someone wants to divert attention away from.
I feel like it’s becoming a defined pattern.
 
the flag burners hung the flag upside down instead? That's the symbol for distress. Would the lawmakers ban that, too? Outlaw distress and everything will be better?

Frank
 
i'm with you guys on this issue. i don't like seeing my flag burned...at least not at protest rallies in the US. You hate Dubbya? Fine. Draw devil horns on his picture and light it on fire. You have a problem with the war? Fine. Buy a surplus army jacket and torch the sucker. I think flag burning is for those that are anti-american, but i respect the right to do so. I heard somewhere that there is much as a 70% chance that a WMD will be detonated somewhere in the world in the next 5 to 7 years. 70% chance! Man, I don't even decide what i'm taking for lunch on a coin toss. Maybe not getting our arses blown up should be priority #1. Dark times, my friends.

Jake
 
hollowdweller said:
...Why do they keep focusing on this stuff, and gay marriage, and all this crap that has absolutely nothing to do with my life when folks are losing their pensions they worked their whole life to get, the cost of health insurance is stifling small businesses and individuals, jobs are being exported at a rapid rate, and we still don't really even have any sort of an idea what to do in Iraq...
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Because it's an emotional issue that is sure to buy votes. It's also hard to make a mistake that will come back to bite you later on this issue. It's hard to lose votes when you spend all your time walking around trumpeting "I LOVE MY FLAG, I LOVE MY FLAG."
 
I burned one for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was 3' X 5' and had been hung out for so long over the years that it was really getting threadbare and dirty, so I bought a new one. Didn't want to make a mess of the job, so hung it out off the ground off the end of a bamboo pole in a clear area of the backyard. Soaked it with lighter fluid, and then used a Bernzomatic jumbo head torch with MAPP gas to set it off. Almost got me, but it was gone in 10 seconds, with just the brass grommets left. Quick and clean!

On the subject at hand, I feel like Danny does. I hate to see some dickwad defiling the flag this way, but would hate even more to have the Government step in _again_ with another law against something.

Regards,

Norm
 
Just for general information the proper way to dispose of an old flag is to cut out the stars,bury them in a biodegradable box and burn the stripes. As for the other issue, while it personally upsets me to see an American flag burned here in the states that is their right.




James
 
depusm12 said:
Just for general information the proper way to dispose of an old flag is to cut out the stars,bury them in a biodegradable box and burn the stripes...
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Interesting. I have heard many times of burning old flags but never of disposing of them in the manner you describe.

I have no objection, and certainly would not argue with anyone honoring the flag in their own manner, but I am curious as to where you encountered this particular method of flag disposal.
 
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