Wednesday, June 22, 2005

On flag desecration...

I think we all agree that people that burn the flag make us angry. But do we want to criminalize a form of (all too common) political speech because we're personally offended? The framers of the constitution wrote the first amendment precisely to protect us from an over-reaching government. I've never burned a flag in my life or had a desire to but when Clinton sent Elian back to Cuba I was very angry. I made some signs with an American flag. But instead of the white stars, I put the gold communist hammer and sickle on the blue field. Below the flag I wrote the phrase "Clinton, what have you done to our country?" I put the signs on my car. I had to do it on the outside because I had tinted windows. And one day somebody tore it off the car. The next day I put them back on with a note below that said that intolerance of free speech is a perfect example of a communist society.

Some would say I disrespected the flag and perhaps in a certain way I did. It's because I love what the flag represents that I used it for my message. It was a shocking way to get my message across. I believe I was protesting, peacefully. Should I have gone to jail for that?

1 comment:

Robert said...

I'm not going to rehash all the comments made in the previous post because I am pretty much in line with Conductor's thoughts.

I also respect and admire the others who've made passionate comments in favor of the amendment. I respect your opinions greatly, but have to disagree on this one thing.

I said it in the last post and I'll say it again...I ABHOR FLAG BURNING. My dad served in Vietnam and I've always had an immense sense of respect for our flag. Burning it is the ultimate insult to our national SYMBOL. However, it is just that, a symbol. Not a living, breathing organism. A symbol of our country.

You know what is a living, breathing example of this country? Us. You and I. By the freedom we extend to each and every person. By the rights we afford everyone. By what we stand for.

Nothing, not even the flag itself, can replace us. The flag is a symbol, something to respect and admire, never to destroy, but cannot replace the true life and blood of the United States of America.