Flag Burning - do you have a double standard?

[Truronian]

I dont see any problems with burning other country's flags. However, I do want to see the burning one one's home country to be illegal since I see burning your own country's flag is a sign of disrespect and being unpatriotic to your own country.

So being unpatriotic or disrespectful should be a crime?

 

[Mega Tsunami]

Burning a flag should always be legal of course.

I have no problems with foreigners burning our flag: it means nothing.

Burning your own country’s flag is however juvenile, stupid and crass IMO. If you have a problem with something about your own country there are 101 other things you should do before resorting to this. Did the Suffragettes ever end up burning the Union Jack? I doubt it.
And if you did end up burning your own flag, no-one would take much notice of your reasons anyway. People will either get annoyed or just view you as stupid, juvenile and un-patriotic.

 

[Smellincoffee]

I'm against all flag-burning as a political statement. It seems to me to be a primitivly hostile way of expressing yourself, like throwing feces.

 

[JohnRM]

I do believe that there is already a burning ban in most cities.

 

[Red Stranger]

wanna prove yourself? follow this easy method:

1. learn to mindread.
2. track down every flag burner ever.
3. prove they hate america.
4. tell us in a 435 page report.

oh, whats that? impossible to prove yourself?

Then dont put it forth as an argument, mmkay?

By that same logic, you'll have to prove your side of the argument too.
1. Learn to read minds
2. Track down every flag burner ever.
3. Prove that they're burning it to express freedom, and not just saying it to get out of trouble.
5. Tell us in a 435 page report + abstract + cover letter

Burning a flag to prove your love for freedom of speech, is like shooting your mom to prove that you appreciate her unconditional love.

 

[Xanikk999]

By that same logic, you'll have to prove your side of the argument too.
1. Learn to read minds
2. Track down every flag burner ever.
3. Prove that they're burning it to express freedom, and not just saying it to get out of trouble.
5. Tell us in a 435 page report + abstract + cover letter

Burning a flag to prove your love for freedom of speech, is like shooting your mom to prove that you appreciate her unconditional love.

But the flag isnt the identity of american freedom.

American freedom is not a material object so its not the same thing.

Your metaphor is incorrect.

 

[Red Stranger]

But the flag isnt the identity of american freedom.

American freedom is not a material object so its not the same thing.

Your metaphor is incorrect.

Your mother's body is not her unconditional love.

 

[GenMarshall]

So being unpatriotic or disrespectful should be a crime?

No, desicrating and burning the flag of one's own country should be a crime.

 

[Xanikk999]

No, desicrating and burning the flag of one's own country should be a crime.

No it shouldnt..

 

[El_Machinae]

Burning a flag to prove your love for freedom of speech, is like shooting your mom to prove that you appreciate her unconditional love.

Yeah, a little bit. A bit of hyperbole, though, it's a good point.

But, keep in mind that any offense received on the part of someone watching a flag burn might be unintended by the burner. Burning a flag often is for a specific purpose. For example, if a law is passed that hurts "Freedom of Speech", a flag burner might be burning the flag symbolically - to show that (in his mind) freedom is being attacked.

 

[GenMarshall]

No it shouldnt..

And why not? How would you like if something precious is burnt out of protest? Burning the flag is like burning something that we Americans hold precious and sacred.

 

[AVN]

A number of posters consider the right to burn a flag as a right of free speech. I disagree with that.

Free speech means IMO that one can "say" freely, without repercussions, what one want to say. One can give freely his opinion about all sorts of issues. (IMO this includes giving one's opinion in writing).

However free speech doesn't mean that one is allowed to destroy objects, like burning a flag. If this is/should be allowed or not is a seperate issue and has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

 

[El_Machinae]

So, to you, it's a question about whether someone is allowed to destroy their own property?

 

[Irish Caesar]

However free speech doesn't mean that one is allowed to destroy objects, like burning a flag. If this is/should be allowed or not is a seperate issue and has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

Why can't a person destroy something that is his own? I agree that going to a government building (or someone else's house, for that matter) and taking the flag down and burning it should be a crime, but if a person buys a flag and burns it on his own, what is wrong with that?

 

[Red Stranger]

Why can't a person destroy something that is his own? I agree that going to a government building (or someone else's house, for that matter) and taking the flag down and burning it should be a crime, but if a person buys a flag and burns it on his own, what is wrong with that?

The flag is not yours, the flag belongs to the American people.

 

[Xanikk999]

Why can't a person destroy something that is his own? I agree that going to a government building (or someone else's house, for that matter) and taking the flag down and burning it should be a crime, but if a person buys a flag and burns it on his own, what is wrong with that?

Theres public ordinances against burning things on your property.

Where i live you cant burn large piles of leaves...

 

[Xanikk999]

The flag is not yours, the flag belongs to the American people.

Sorry but thats just BALONEY.

 

[El_Machinae]

The flag is not yours, the flag belongs to the American people.

Actually, Freedom of Speech belongs to the American people. Banning the burning hurts America more than burning the flag does. Misinterpreting a flag burning (to receive it hostily) hurts America more than burning the flag does.

 

[Irish Caesar]

The flag is not yours, the flag belongs to the American people.

Well then, it seems most fitting that we rip it up into three hundred million pieces and distribute it to everyone.

Otherwise, you just advocated communism. Which is very un-American.

 

[nonconformist]

The flag is not yours, the flag belongs to the American people.

That sounds strangely like something out of the Soviet Union.

Otherwise, you just advocated communism. Which is very un-American.

Great minds think alike