Flag Burning

[waltermitty]

The discussion on Free Speech during todays show got me thinking......

What about burning the American Flag? Should it be illegal? Is it free speech/expression?
Nearly every year someone in congress brings up a bill to make flag burning a felonious act. In the past few years, the bill has come closer than ever to passage....

What do you think?

I'm on the side of freedom of expression...

I think the quote is attributed to Voltaire:
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

That's what I think free speech is about....

http://sps.k12.mo.us/ghs/library/flag-burning.jpg

[Fezticle98]

Yeah, I say let them burn the flag. I would rather pity or look down on someone who did that rather than getting angry about it and trying to stop them.

It's not about the flag, it's about the principles that the flag stands for. Can't burn those.

[Fezticle98]

This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the issue:

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[PapaBear]

This argument always pisses me off. When someone says that it should be OK to burn flags, people always end up saying that person wants to burn flags.

[Fezticle98]

This argument always pisses me off. When someone says that it should be OK to burn flags, people always end up saying that person wants to burn flags.

Kinda like if your against the war in Iraq, you don't support the troops.

[waltermitty]

http://theatre.harvard.edu/archive/1997-fall/catch22/catch22.jpg

[A.J.]

If flag burning is made illegal then how will I be able to dispose my old flags (http://longisland.about.com/cs/governement/a/flag_disposal.htm)?

[Fezticle98]

If anyone tries to burn Fez, they get an ass kicking!

[cupcakelove]

I say, do what you want. As long as its not being burnt in a dangerous way, and you're not burning someone else's flag, I don't see the problem.

[Don Stugots]

I would never burn a flag and I do see it as disrespectful but i think you should have the right to do so and I would defend that right.

[AJDELAWARE]

"I think the quote is attributed to Voltaire:
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

I prefer to attribute that quote to Peter Griffin.

[Earlshog]

If anyone tries to burn Fez, they get an ass kicking!


flags... flags...

[SatCam]

I have no problem with flag burners as long as they don't do it in front of my kids or try to convert me

[BMoses]

This argument always pisses me off. When someone says that it should be OK to burn flags, people always end up saying that person wants to burn flags.

I have always suspected Papa Bear of being a flag burner.

To me flag burning is the ultimate act of protest and should be protected. If someone feels like they have been put out by the government enough and their best recourse is to burn a flag then so be it. It beats blowing up a federal building in Oklahoma.

[LiddyRules]

Burn the flag. When you boil down to it, it's just a piece of fabric. It's a symbol but ... I mean, that's just it. It's a symbol, so what.

http://theatre.harvard.edu/archive/1997-fall/catch22/catch22.jpg It's not a catch 22, it's a catch 1.

[scottinnj]

As long as it isn't someone else's flag (private property) or a government flag, such as flying above the Capital or in a courtroom.

If you go and buy your own flag, then burn it in a demonstration, I may despise you, but more power to you.

[Fat_Sunny]

Yeah, Burn Away. F_S Never Understood Why This Was Such A Big Deal.

Here Is Another One: Let's Say Your Town Allows Burning On Your Own Property (Leaves/Garbage/Whatever):

If You Want To Burn A Cross On Your Lawn In Public View, Should The Government Have The Right To Ban That?

F_S Says: No. As Offensive As It Is, It Is Still A Statement Like Burning A Flag, And Should Be Protected. Agree?

[IMSlacker]

Outlawing flag burning is a bullshit issue that politicians bring up during election years so that they can appear patriotic. I don't think any of these assholes think that they'll ever actually get anything passed.

[PapaBear]

I'm more offended by business who fly a flag (you know they do it to make themselves look good) and don't use proper flag etiquette. The most common offense is when they fly the flag at half staff, but don't raise it back up when the mourning period is officially over.

[waltermitty]

Yeah, Burn Away. F_S Never Understood Why This Was Such A Big Deal.

Here Is Another One: Let's Say Your Town Allows Burning On Your Own Property (Leaves/Garbage/Whatever):

If You Want To Burn A Cross On Your Lawn In Public View, Should The Government Have The Right To Ban That?

F_S Says: No. As Offensive As It Is, It Is Still A Statement Like Burning A Flag, And Should Be Protected. Agree?

On your property, do what you want, I say..

If I start a campfire and two of the logs fall in the shape of a cross, does that make me guilty?

Burning a cross on your african-american neighbor's lawn is, of course, a different matter...

I was always of the opinion that flag burners would more easily be brought up on arson charges. Arrest them for starting a fire in an urban, public area, and avoid the moral/constitutional debate....

[Fezticle98]

I'm more offended by business who fly a flag (you know they do it to make themselves look good) and don't use proper flag etiquette. The most common offense is when they fly the flag at half staff, but don't raise it back up when the mourning period is officially over.

Teach them a lesson, set Old Glory ablaze next time.

[ChrisTheCop]

Just so y'all know, flag burning is not illegal in NYC...

Open flames, however, are.

nyah.




hey look! THIS guy's holding the democrat party's flag a little too close to the fire:

:surrender::furious:

[Fallon]

hey look! THIS guy's holding the democrat party's flag a little too close to the fire:

:surrender::furious:

Don't worry.. I called 911.

http://www.smileysfire.com/BlackhelmetSMILEY.gif

[MrPink]

Totally cool with flag burning. Usually burning the flag is not about hating the country, but being pissed off about what the government is doing, 2 different things. I never understood why everyone gets so emotional about the flag in the first place. In boy scouts when we had to retire a flag there would always be one guy who cried or something. I don't know what my point is, burn away just don't get me or my house burned, I want my security deposit back.

[CruelCircus]

To me flag burning is the ultimate act of protest and should be protected.

Nah- the ultimate act is setting yourself on fire. Now THAT'S a statement!!

There was a woman back in 93 or 94 when I was at Penn who protested all the time over various issues wearing a very flimsy bikini and not much else. AFter years of this, she felt she was being tuned out and ignored by the masses, so she decided to up her stakes and did set herself ablaze right in front of our library. She did get an article in the paper regarding what all her issues were, though...

[scottinnj]

Nah- the ultimate act is setting yourself on fire. Now THAT'S a statement!!

There was a woman back in 93 or 94 when I was at Penn who protested all the time over various issues wearing a very flimsy bikini and not much else. AFter years of this, she felt she was being tuned out and ignored by the masses, so she decided to up her stakes and did set herself ablaze right in front of our library. She did get an article in the paper regarding what all her issues were, though...

Well, if I saw a 93-94 year old woman in a flimsy bikini, I'd set her on fire.

[PhishHead]

I say burn away its freedom of speech and as long as it does not incite a riot it is fine.

im just being a nitpicker and Voltaire didn't say that, Beatrice Hall wrote it in a book about Voltaire.