Freedom of Speech?

[caustic 0_0]

Well, after a brief foray into the GD which nearly made me want to go bang my head on a wall...I'm going to post about this here.
I saw a thread about the flag-burning amendment. Of course, everyone had no idea what was really going on and didn't really know if it was an amendment or a case or a law.
Anyways... the current update is: The amendment has passed in the House, but not the Senate. It would still have to be ratified by 3/4 of the state legislatures (or conventions, but that's only been used once) before becoming an amendment.
This is also the first time First Amendment rights have been restricted with an amendment.

Where do your first amendment rights end? Does it matter that this flag burning is something the Supreme Court has already ruled constitutional?
Sign of the times? Worse to come?  

[caustic 0_0]

CNN article

Supporters said the measure reflected patriotism that deepened after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and they accused detractors of being out of touch with public sentiment.

"Ask the men and women who stood on top of the [World] Trade Center," said Rep. Randy [Duke] Cunningham, R-California. "Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment."

But Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York, said, "If the flag needs protection at all, it needs protection from members of Congress who value the symbol more than the freedoms that the flag represents."

The measure was designed to overturn a 1989 decision by the Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 that flag burning was a protected free-speech right. That ruling threw out a 1968 federal statute and flag-protection laws in 48 states. The law was a response to anti-Vietnam war protesters setting fire to the American flag at their demonstrations.

The proposed one-line amendment to the Constitution reads, "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."

I like how we keep reverting back to 9-11. I also like how people forget that for your own rights to be protected, others rights have to be protected too. Just because you don't wanna burn the flag, doesn't mean that others shouldn't have that right. If we start cutting back on First Amendment rights, where do we stop?  

[The Amazing Mr. Tommyos!]

******** the flag.

The flag is just a symbol. That's all it is. Symbol desacration is freedom of expression. Just because it offends you does not mean its "wrong".  

[aufheben]

Valdae

This is also the first time First Amendment rights have been restricted with an amendment.

False. Americans have been doing a good job of abridging First Amendment right since the ol' Alien and Sedition Acts passed shortly after the passage of the Bill of Rights.  

[caustic 0_0]

aufheben

Valdae

This is also the first time First Amendment rights have been restricted with an amendment.

False. Americans have been doing a good job of abridging First Amendment right since the ol' Alien and Sedition Acts passed shortly after the passage of the Bill of Rights.

Correct, but I said restricted with an amendment. The Alien and Sedition Acts were...acts.  

[aufheben]

Hmm...so you did.  

[E_Night]

All countries have something in comen. A Flag to be known in recognised by. I feel its a symbol of respect in not burning the flag. An Act of respect for all those who live here. No matter how screwed up our goverment has been it has always been there. No, Of course I don't agree with most of the decisions of the government, No, I don't believe in saying the pledge of alegence. And i do not agree with burning flags. Burn pictures of something elese. but do not burn a mass produced cloth flag that symbolizes America. talk2hand

With that said I believe that weather it be right or wrong burning flags is, I feel, the first amendment. Freedom of speech. Its your right to be able to burn flags. stare  

[Azaleya]

People would probably burn that nazi swatzika, so why not the american flag? i mean, they're both symbols of a group--just one many people think is evil.
Expression of feelings, like burning the flag, ties into the freedom of speech. It would be unconstitutional to deny people that right.  

[PickleBoy]

My friend and I have long discussions with this. Of course, we both agree with not passing the amendment so we just go around trading ideas, but meh. But I believe that as long as American's can burn a flag that shows that we truly are a nation of the people (not that we are, but still) and that the people can show their dislike about something by ultimately burning a flag. Its like the teacher who burned a flag. And then got arrested. I mean, hello. He was trying to prove to his students that they did live in a free country. And way to go dumb heads, you arrested him. Sorry, listening to j-pop, head not all in one place. Whee!  

[Muaethia]

US politics go right over my head at times like this. But flag burning... I don't really get why people do it, but they should be allowed to if they really want to. After all, it's only material with a print on/sewn in/however flags are made, at the end of the day. Flags are merely symbolic.

If you want to burn a flag, that's up to you. It's not anyone elses right to stop you, out of 'respect' or anything of the sort. If you want to respect your country, you don't go about it by starting arguments with people who are burning cloth. There are much better things to do.

I'm no patriot, but i've never been tempted to burn the England flag or the Union Jack. What good would it do on improving the country?  

[Dathu]

*Burns an american flag.*  

[PickleBoy]

Dathu

*Burns an american flag.*

*roasts marshmellows* Mmm mm... Most patriotic marshmellows I've ever had. They taste like lying...  

[Dathu]

PickleBoy

Dathu

*Burns an american flag.*

*roasts marshmellows* Mmm mm... Most patriotic marshmellows I've ever had. They taste like lying...

blaugh Haha, that totally sounds like something the Simpson's Ralph Wiggum would say.  

[PickleBoy]

Dathu

PickleBoy

Dathu

*Burns an american flag.*

*roasts marshmellows* Mmm mm... Most patriotic marshmellows I've ever had. They taste like lying...

blaugh Haha, that totally sounds like something the Simpson's Ralph Wiggum would say.

"The purple berries taste like buring." xd  

[Kyouiki Ikeike]

My friends burned a few American flags on July 4th because they knew that they were trying to pass the law that we can't. 'Twas great.

Anyway. My opinion on it? Stupid. We're slowly yet surely going to start losing more and more rights. We're supposed to be a free country, are we not? Arresting people who express their freedome doesn't prove this very well, no? America is gonna be a communist country before we know it!!!! Ah! Okay, not seriously, but it does seem like it.