I am against the Flag Burning Amendment. I, having not actually read the text of it, presume it will merely make state laws which criminalize flag burning, stand against Supreme Court shenanigans.
I want it to be known I am against flag burning, of course. I just think that there may possibly be ways that the Constitution could be amended specifically to allow flag burning as an expansion of the first amendment expression of free speech, provisionally. Flagburners should never have to fear the government during or after the burning of an American flag, provisionally. I’ve said “provisionally” twice now so hopefully you know there are provisions and I am not completely off the deep end.
If some other changes are made as well to the amendment I could accept it. If it were amended to, say, expand the first amendment a little in other ways and while we are at it tweak some other popular amendments as well.
The Right to Freedom of the Press. – First Amendment
Americans should be protected if they want to put flagburners in a large metal press, the kind that Sarah Connor terminated the first terminator with in the movie Terminator. They should also be allowed to operate the metal press in as slow a manner as they wish as free expression of this.
The Right To Bear Arms. – Second Amendment
I’m not talking about shooting flagburners, that’s waaaaay too quick for them. Bear arms, attached to a living, preferably hungry, bear, should be employed to hug flagburners in the gentle embrace that only a wild bear can give. Any ripping, shredding or disemboweling the bear arms do should be covered and protected under the amendment.
The Right to Peacefully Assemble – First Amendment Again
This right should be expanded to include piece-by-piece disassembly of flagburners. Say, like, with an array of farm implements, some dull, some sharp. We could mix it up so it doesn’t get boring. Boredom can be pure torture, ask any Gitmo detainee.
The Right To Not Face Double Jeopardy. – Seventh Amendment
If an American is unsuccessful at expressing any one of these rights to their personal satisfaction, they should be able to express any of the other newly expanded rights listed here until the flagburner faces, what we can call Eternal Jeopardy.
The Right to Freedom of Expression – First Amendment One Final Time
An American should be allowed to exercise his/her freedom of expression by burning an American flag BURNER during or after the actual flagburning. I would recommend during, since that practically begs for the use of gasoline-filled balloons.
Then flagburners will never again have to fear a viscious facsist American government when they exercise their new constitutional right.
They will just have to fear people like me and maybe, you.
Let’s do our best to make flagburning legal, unsafe and flagburners somewhere between rare and medium well.
First!
I have to agree on being against this amendment. As much as I am against flag burning, the constitution should not be modified for such things. As dispicable of an act it is, it is not enough to warrant changing of our greatest document.
It appears there is a Senate compromise on the Flag Burning Amendment.
Here is an update.
The proper way to dispose of flags is through burning.
I’ve been discussing this for a few days.
And I guess I’m also against the amendment. It’s good to know where the
anti-Americans are.
Your link doesn’t work for me, J.blair.
I propose an amendment that flag burning “for expression” can only occur if the person is wearing the flag while it burns.
Wait, wait, wait. We jave a right against Double Jeopardy? Nio one told me.
You mean for all these years, Alex Trbek LIED ???
Miranda, sorry, new to this!
Try this one.
I dunno, somebody buying a flag, and destroying their own property. Dunno, I can’t really muster up the outrage.
A freaking amendment that clarifies the the Constitution MEANS WHAT IT F***ING SAYS, now that I can get behind (heck, even use that as the text).
Some dumbass burning a flag, it’s almost as good as wearing a sign clarifying his IQ and political affiliation. You really want these people to learn the ability to hide in society so we can’t pick them out and mock them?
Nicely put, Spacemonkey! While I agree in principle to the ammendment, I also believe that it will become another tangled mess. Some states will prohibit the activity, some will allow flag burning, and others will not act at all. Then we will need a scorecard to remember which is which, though the blue states will likely attract the miscreants. If a person burns a flag, it is our God given right to IGNORE the fool, to not even acknowledge their existence let alone be angry at the addled protester. Just like a misbehaving child, if he receives no response to the misbehavior, it becomes pointless to continue it. We needen’t create another platform for the ignorant or misguided to gain attention. Sometimes some good old peer pressure or a 3 inch fire hose can dampen the behavior without the need for an ammendment.
JoshG is right the proper way to dispose of a flag is burning. There is a whole ceromony for it too. I think what everybody is in upheval about is the the burning of flags as a way to protest. Personally I think it is one more way somebody has found to get themselves in the news and find their 15 minutes of fames (can we say “under God” in California or “in God we trust”).
Having been a study of history I remember when this country went to war with others for chopping down a flag pole bearing our flag and then burning our flag (Tripoli anyone). Now what do we do? We (or the media, take your pick) show all over the news about other countries protesting against the Americans by burning American flag and we don’t do anything but wonder why are they made at us, are we not giving them enough money and food that could be going to our homeless on our own streets.
What happened to the American Flag meaning something. People died under that flag defended it so that we can have all these constitutional rights and we just want to add another that lets us burn that flag.
Come to Wisconsin and we will go off i seclulsion and make a home for our family.rocktour22@yahoo.com Dan
(As heard on Glenn Beck) What if we simply fabricate our flags out of styrofoam? The only people that burn flags are granola-eating hippies. Once they find out burning flags hurts the ozone layer… they’ll stop.