This week, the U.S. Senate fell one vote short of passing a potential anti-flag burning amendment on to the states for ratification. I've always found humor in flag burning issue because of this line from the US Flag Code:"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning"There are basically two key words here that make the humor. Most obviously, of course, is the fact that there are people seeking to ban something that the US Flag Code actually tells you is not only acceptable, but "preferable." But better yet, it's "dignified."
Alright, quibble over the difference between a protest and a "disposal" -- but why burning is somehow horrifying in the one situation, but "preferable" and "dignified" in the other is still funny to me. And my point, if indeed I'm even making one here, is that someone ought to go and change the US Flag Code before they try to go change the Constitution.
8 comments:
It's all about context. Burning a flag on the steps of a courthouse with media around is clearly a protest. Burning a flag in a controlled environment away from media is clearly just destroying a flag.
This said, I think we have other things to worry about. Like fake President Barlett once said, "Is there some flag-burning epidemic of which I'm not aware?" Most of the burning of U.S. flags I've seen have been on foreign soil.
Dang! Derek beat me to the Bartlett quote!
How about this:
The difference between burning a flag for disposil and protest reminds me of a Seinfeld stict about hair. hair seems fine while it is on the head. making out with a girl and getting her hair in your mouth is that bad but once it is not attached to the head it becomes this gross thing. hmmmm, maybe that wasn't the best anology ... i've been listening to so many lately I can't tell the good from the bad.
Coming from a military family, I don't agree with the burning of the flag at all. However, I'm also not ready to have the government decide that it's so offensive to do that you need that right taken away from you.
However, if you choose to burn a flag, all it will do is show me that you're not worth taking seriously in the first place. So have at it.
Call me crazy, but somehow I don't think that the people who want to ban the burning of the US Flag would not have the slightest problem destroying a Gay Pride or Confederate flag with fire...because that's ok.
Right?
/likes free speech
//even if i don't like what you say
I was recently watching an episode of Justice League where President Lex Luther was telling Superman the problem with democracy is that sometimes "the people" make bad choices. that was right before Superman burned him to a crisp with his heat vision (okay so it was an alternate universe Superman...)
this whole flag burning thing is totally and distinctly "political" where enough gooberheads will get a dumb thing like this passed without understanding anything about it.
the mole
The flag is a piece of cloth - people need to get over it. It's the values of a country that are important and need defending.
More political bullshit designed to lose sight of what's really important in the cause of drumming up a few votes. And yes you may burn the Union Jack (or even the Cross of St George) if you wish. It's not that importnat.
This entire year in legislature seems to be wasted by political claptrap. I hate those guys.
So far this year, the legislative branch seems more concerned with gay marriage, flag burning, and veto power to curtail spending while the executive branch is consumed with making a straw man out of The New York Times, which should out itself as vehemently anti-Bush and get it over with, but whatever. This is all disgusting as this is election-year base-stirring.
We are fighting a war that seems to be headed nowhere, putting our children through a broken bloated education system, and facing a future where China and India dominate the globe at the expense of American jobs. THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES AT HAND!
Need I also mention that we are spending billions of fucking dollars on sending people up into fucking space at the risk of their lives to do the work of fucking robots? Why? Because too many fucking bureaucrats and engineers have a fucking hard-on for the science fiction of four fucking decades ago.
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