Should it be illegal to burn the American flag?

@ndjs,

ndjs wrote:

I just hope it's not invisible like your online status.

BUT that's getting even farther off topic than I ever intended.

:backtotopic:

LOL. Good one.

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@Lasombra,

Lasombra wrote:

It's an American Flag, isn't it? Isn't it a symbol of our land?

Sorta like the Stars & Bars are too? :eek:

It might be to someone else, but I don't see it as important to me. If it was from the Civil War era, that wasn't exactly a time of unity.

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@tumbleweed cv,

tumbleweed wrote:

It might be to someone else, but I don't see it as important to me. If it was from the Civil War era, that wasn't exactly a time of unity.

Fair enough.

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@Brent cv,

In my opinon , burning any country's flag as an act of protest or defiance is beyond the question of legality , it is simply treason if done by a citizen , and an act of sedition if done by a non-citizen . Either one should be illegal and punished according to law as allowed by the offended nation .

1 Reply

@Curmudgeon,

Curmudgeon wrote:

In my opinon , burning any country's flag as an act of protest or defiance is beyond the question of legality , it is simply treason if done by a citizen , and an act of sedition if done by a non-citizen . Either one should be illegal and punished according to law as allowed by the offended nation .

Do you make a distinction between an actual flag, and a picture of a flag?

In more simple terms, it sounds like you would get upset with me if I burned an American flag - charging me with treason infact. Would you get upset at me if I mailed all my bills using flag stamps that are affixed upside down in protest, or if I even burned those same flag stamps?

If I were to burn a flag from the USSR, an Iranian flag, a Chinese flag or hell, even a Hamas flag, would I be comitting an illegal action inciting resistance to the authority symbolized and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government of that flag?

In some circles, I'd be given a medal.

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@Brent cv,

I suppose I would not begrudge a protest burning of a picture of our flag ( or any other , for that matter ) .
I clearly stated that I think it is wrong to burn any nation's flag .
Those who would give you a medal are short-sighted and uninformed about the meaning of a flag to this or any other nation .

1 Reply

@Curmudgeon,

Curmudgeon wrote:

I suppose I would not begrudge a protest burning of a picture of our flag ( or any other , for that matter ) .
I clearly stated that I think it is wrong to burn any nation's flag .
Those who would give you a medal are short-sighted and uninformed about the meaning of a flag to this or any other nation .

And if that meaning is in direct contradiction to all of your beliefs, and stated position of your country, you're still considered short-sighted?

Would you have been short sighted to burn a Japanese flag on Dec. 8th? You would be today, obviously, but back in the 40's?

If Al Qeada had a "flag" would we be short-sighted to burn it today?

To me...when it comes to evil, there is no short-sightedness.

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@Brent cv,

I wouldn't burn an Al-Qeadan flag today. There are just some things that don't need to be done.

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@Brent cv,

Burning it is the only respectable way to get rid of an old one.
Don't you know that?

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@ndjs,

ndjs wrote:

Jesus Christ why does everybody bring that up when a discussion about flag-burning is going on? Everybody knows that's how you properly dispose of a flag. Congratulations, you did it.

Sorry, pet peeve of mine.

please see my previous post ^

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@cranston36 cv,

cranston36 wrote:

Burning it is the only respectable way to get rid of an old one.
Don't you know that?

You are incredibly blonde. Read the thread.

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@Lasombra,

Lasombra wrote:

And if that meaning is in direct contradiction to all of your beliefs, and stated position of your country, you're still considered short-sighted?

...snip, snip

The meaning of freedom and respect also is that we respect the stance of others , agree or disagree . Short sighted to "give a medal for burning a flag ".
I don't care whose flag it is , friend or foe , I was brought up to respect that symbol of a nation's sovereignty , and must repeat to you again ---I feel it is wrong to burn any nation's flag !

1 Reply

@Curmudgeon,

Curmudgeon wrote:

The meaning of freedom and respect also is that we respect the stance of others , agree or disagree . Short sighted to "give a medal for burning a flag ".
I don't care whose flag it is , friend or foe , I was brought up to respect that symbol of a nation's sovereignty , and must repeat to you again ---I feel it is wrong to burn any nation's flag !

I whole heartedly disagree. We do not have to respect evil when it's in your face.

The Soviet Union was evil.

Nazi Germany was evil.

Imperial Japan was evil.

Hamas is evil.

Just because we espouse the notions of freedom and civilized respect, it doesn't mean that we must tolerate evil.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

1 Reply

@Lasombra,

Lasombra wrote:

I whole heartedly disagree. We do not have to respect evil when it's in your face.

The Soviet Union was evil.

Nazi Germany was evil.

Imperial Japan was evil.

Hamas is evil.

Just because we espouse the notions of freedom and civilized respect, it doesn't mean that we must tolerate evil.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

I agree.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere -- if what they're doing is wrong, we can't sit back and respect it as their opinion.

I don't think flag burning should be illegal, but I do consider it to be the ultimate lack of patriotism and moral character.

1 Reply

@jatuab,

Ok , we Americans get very upset if someone burns our flag , whether it is here in the States , or in a foreign country . Burning a flag is one of the most in-your-face demonstrations of defiance and hatred for all that flag represents .
How then can Americans say it would be ok to burn another nation's flag ? We decry that action by others , but it would be ok for us ?????

1 Reply

@Curmudgeon,

Curmudgeon wrote:

Ok , we Americans get very upset if someone burns our flag , whether it is here in the States , or in a foreign country . Burning a flag is one of the most in-your-face demonstrations of defiance and hatred for all that flag represents .
How then can Americans say it would be ok to burn another nation's flag ? We decry that action by others , but it would be ok for us ?????

I never said I was going to burn a flag or blow up a building, but there are a lot of things that we don't have to be ok with, even if we do it. Take for example the military advances of Russia during the Cold War and nuclear proliferation. We didn't want them to build up a nuclear arsenal, and we don't want other countries to do it either, but we're not going to let go of our bombs to be fair. Sometimes you have to be intolerant to keep your property safe, and that's why we hate the thought of someone burning an American flag. Hypocrisy can be okay in small doses.

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@Brent cv,

I believe that burning the American Flag expresses how angry you are and therefore expresses your need to have your voice heard.

It is a cry for attention, but in the attention of something that is believe to be of crucial value and importance.

Once that person has fully understood or has had his or her voice heard. He or she will stop burning flags.

So a good way of getting rid of the burning of flags is to allow it to occur for the soundly reason that it occurs.

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@Brent cv,

Sort of like letting a thread die by not responding ?
What else will we just let pass for similar reasons ?
I guess we should let more buildings be hit by planes , since it is a means to get attention ?
Another Embassy ?
Another ship like the Cole ?
A few more heads cut off ?

1 Reply

@Curmudgeon,

Curmudgeon wrote:

Sort of like letting a thread die by not responding ?
What else will we just let pass for similar reasons ?
I guess we should let more buildings be hit by planes , since it is a means to get attention ?
Another Embassy ?
Another ship like the Cole ?
A few more heads cut off ?

apples and oranges

flag burning =/= terrorism and death...flag burning mainly just serves to get crowds excited at anti-American demonstrations, not to destroy lives and countries

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@Brent cv,

But Darseid thinks if we sort of ignore it it will go away .
Will it go away like four-letter words went away , now that so many are allowed in all media ?
Or like suggestive language and pictures have gone away now that we allow them in movies and in public ?
I am not an old fuddy-duddy , nor a prude by any means , but standards have been lowered enough in my opinion .

1 Reply

Should it be illegal to burn the American flag?

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