As a Marine veteran I support your right to burn the flag and in fact would fight for you to maintain that right. However, in certain circumstances burning the flag may elicit a violent reaction. While I don't support violence, one should remain vigilant and govern their behavior accordingly
“ America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've got to want it bad, because it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil who is standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the 'land of the free'? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the 'land of the free.”
From the 1995 movie “The American President”
This is exactly what we are supposed to feel as Americans in regards to flag burning or waving for that matter. Freedom of speech is absolute.
This country has gotten so far off the rails that we have forgotten that we were once a train.
I've never been that bothered about flag burning. Someone burning the US flag has no effect on how I feel about it. Free speech is vital and we do have to be very careful about what we outlaw. To me there is something very strange about the idea of criminalizing burning a symbol of the nation that prides itself on free expression. As an Air Force veteran, I'm actually far more insulted by those who fly the flag but leave it up till it's frayed, torn and faded. To me, that seems far more disrespectful than burning, as you are proclaiming your patriotism, while treating the symbol with disdain.
I have no problem with the right to burn the flag, though I strongly disagree with the message that act expresses. I highly doubt today’s flag burners, if they seized power, would respect my right to burn whatever flag they use as their banner (the hammer and sickle?).
I also find disconcerting the number of houses hanging Ukrainian flags out front who would never put up an American flag. What does that even mean? “We don’t like American values, but strongly support the US military industrial complex and its Imperial ambitions?”
I can’t help but think the flag burners look childish and silly. The flag burning doesn’t offend me, it’s their lack in understanding how privileged they are to live in a place that allows them to display their stupidity that I find offensive.
Philosophical debate is beyond the scale of the world today. Power, generational wealth exercised from the shadows, mocks our notions. Symbols like flags, childish effigies, sin eaters. The people are going to need to find real solutions, fake voting will never suffice. It’s going to take much more rigor.
All empires are cyclical. The myth of the us has run its course. Time for radical change
I can’t think of anything less important than a flag, or the subject of burning one as a political act. Burning draft cards didn’t end the war, nor did burning bras bring on sexual equality. And, taken to its limits, I always thought those self immolating Buddhist Monks were deluded and pathetic.
Political theater is designed to distract. I never want to be party to that.
I've never witnessed a flag burning up close, only on film. Doesn't upset me in a nationalistic sense. I usually agree with the protesters. More folks should take the knee at any sport event where flag waving,pledgeds, solutes, and other BS national a list acts proceed the game.
So many wrongs needing righting but folks just zombie along.
That 1989 ruling came fairly close to July 4 so in the spirit of good fun that year i made “Free Speech DIY Kits” which were a photocopy of US flag, with the language of the First Amendment underneath—and stapled a book of matches to it—then handed them out at an outdoor event in upper east tn 😝
Activism, Uncensored: A History of Flag-Burning
As a Marine veteran I support your right to burn the flag and in fact would fight for you to maintain that right. However, in certain circumstances burning the flag may elicit a violent reaction. While I don't support violence, one should remain vigilant and govern their behavior accordingly
If burning the US flag is ok, then so is burning a pride or BLM flag. Freedom of expression vs hate crime law.
Even the ACLU has forgotten what the ACLU used to stand for, it's a damn shame.
“ America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've got to want it bad, because it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil who is standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the 'land of the free'? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the 'land of the free.”
From the 1995 movie “The American President”
This is exactly what we are supposed to feel as Americans in regards to flag burning or waving for that matter. Freedom of speech is absolute.
This country has gotten so far off the rails that we have forgotten that we were once a train.
If I can’t set a piece of cloth on fire, then this is not a free country. One cannot burn “the” flag, it is a symbol that lives in our minds.
I've never been that bothered about flag burning. Someone burning the US flag has no effect on how I feel about it. Free speech is vital and we do have to be very careful about what we outlaw. To me there is something very strange about the idea of criminalizing burning a symbol of the nation that prides itself on free expression. As an Air Force veteran, I'm actually far more insulted by those who fly the flag but leave it up till it's frayed, torn and faded. To me, that seems far more disrespectful than burning, as you are proclaiming your patriotism, while treating the symbol with disdain.
I have no problem with the right to burn the flag, though I strongly disagree with the message that act expresses. I highly doubt today’s flag burners, if they seized power, would respect my right to burn whatever flag they use as their banner (the hammer and sickle?).
I also find disconcerting the number of houses hanging Ukrainian flags out front who would never put up an American flag. What does that even mean? “We don’t like American values, but strongly support the US military industrial complex and its Imperial ambitions?”
I can’t help but think the flag burners look childish and silly. The flag burning doesn’t offend me, it’s their lack in understanding how privileged they are to live in a place that allows them to display their stupidity that I find offensive.
Would you trust those idiots to write a new constitution?
Philosophical debate is beyond the scale of the world today. Power, generational wealth exercised from the shadows, mocks our notions. Symbols like flags, childish effigies, sin eaters. The people are going to need to find real solutions, fake voting will never suffice. It’s going to take much more rigor.
All empires are cyclical. The myth of the us has run its course. Time for radical change
And of course, YouTube is restricting to 18+
I’ve always had tremendous respect for the American flag, mainly because it tolerates being burned. It’s a miraculous symbol of freedom.
Why is it against the law to burn a pride flag or BLM, isn’t that also free speech?
I can’t think of anything less important than a flag, or the subject of burning one as a political act. Burning draft cards didn’t end the war, nor did burning bras bring on sexual equality. And, taken to its limits, I always thought those self immolating Buddhist Monks were deluded and pathetic.
Political theater is designed to distract. I never want to be party to that.
I've never witnessed a flag burning up close, only on film. Doesn't upset me in a nationalistic sense. I usually agree with the protesters. More folks should take the knee at any sport event where flag waving,pledgeds, solutes, and other BS national a list acts proceed the game.
So many wrongs needing righting but folks just zombie along.
That 1989 ruling came fairly close to July 4 so in the spirit of good fun that year i made “Free Speech DIY Kits” which were a photocopy of US flag, with the language of the First Amendment underneath—and stapled a book of matches to it—then handed them out at an outdoor event in upper east tn 😝