Flag Burning?

[HawkeyeGS]

Here in Australia there was a big debate over the legality of flag burning as a form of protest a while back. A news story I saw today reminded me so now you can have your say. Some people said it was unpatriotic and showed a lack of respect to war veterans. Others said that there was little wrong with it and that banning it would be a blow to freedom of protest.

Have your say.

Personally i think that it should be legal because it is an act of protest and expression. I don't support it though because while there are many governmental actions I don't like the flag also represents all 20 million people. If you want to burn something in protest burn an image of the polly you dislike.

EDIT: The thing that ended the whole debate in Australia was the fact that some governmental organisation (it may have been the army) destroyed several thousand old flags each year by burning them. Hence it became impossible to prohibit the burning of it as a form of protest lest we went down the whole thoughtcrime line. Funny ending lol.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Burn the flag.

The argument that it's unpatriotic and disrespectivle holds no sway with me, thast basically saying 'no we don't want you to have freedom of speach' and 'stop disagreeing with us'.

And anyway the whole point of it is that you are being disrepectful to the countires current political path, and of course you are going to be feeling unpatriotic is thats the case.

 

[Perfection]

It is unpatriotic and disrespectful but it is an act of protest and protected as a freedom of expression.

 

[Stile]

It's unpatriotic and disrespective as a form of protest, but it should be legal. I often find it's a good way to spot the idiots among us.

Edit: drat, perfection, your post starts too predictably

 

[thetrooper]

No, it's disrespectful. Freedom of protest? If you can't find a better way to protest - leave it.

 

[The Last Conformist]

IIUC, it's a crime here, but for whatever reason there never seems to be anyone who wants to burn the flag anyway.

On principle, it should be allowed, but it's not exactly a burning p) issue.

 

[zenspiderz]

Burn the flag.

The argument that it's unpatriotic and disrespectivle holds no sway with me, thast basically saying 'no we don't want you to have freedom of speach' and 'stop disagreeing with us'.

And anyway the whole point of it is that you are being disrepectful to the countires current political path, and of course you are going to be feeling unpatriotic is thats the case.

Spot on! I agree 100%.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Burning flags isn't eco friendly.

Defecating on them then burying them in compost heaps is much more politically correct, if not TV friendly.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

A better way would be burning a picture of Bush to show you don't agree with the US goverment. The US flag is a symbol for all americans, not just the goverment, so I always thought it was an odd way of protesting.

 

[ComradeDavo]

No, it's disrespectful. Freedom of protest? If you can't find a better way to protest - leave it.

Why? What better way to show your angry at a country's current path then to burn the flag!

I mean which is more effective? Holding up a sign saying 'The UK is pissing me right off at the moment' or setting fire to a British flag?

 

[The Last Conformist]

Why? What better way to show your angry at a country's current path then to burn the flag!

I mean which is more effective? Holding up a sign saying 'The UK is pissing me right off at the moment' or setting fire to a British flag?

I'd be inclined to think burning Phoney Tony in effigy would be more effective than either.

 

[ComradeDavo]

I'd be inclined to think burning Phoney Tony in effigy would be more effective than either.

Well...probably!

 

[thetrooper]

Why? What better way to show your angry at a country's current path then to burn the flag!

I mean which is more effective? Holding up a sign saying 'The UK is pissing me right off at the moment' or setting fire to a British flag?

Is it the UK (and everthing about it) that piss you off or something in the UK?

 

[Bartleby]

Other. I think it should be allowed because it is as silly to ban it as it is to burn a flag.

 

[Elrohir]

Technically, yes. But the people burning the flag shouldn't be suprised if they get their face punched in for doing it where others can see.

 

[drudkh44]

Burning flags isn't eco friendly.

Defecating on them then burying them in compost heaps is much more politically correct, if not TV friendly.

tv friendly??

 

[Grisu]

while I think burning the flag as a form of protest is pretty silly and pointless I believe that people should be allowed to do it nevertheless.

 

[thetrooper]

while I think burning the flag as a form of protest is pretty silly and pointless I believe that people should be allowed to do it nevertheless.

Yeah, let 'em do it. And then throw them in jail!

 

[Grisu]

Yeah, let 'em do it. And then throw them in jail!

that's not exactly how I meant it

 

[thetrooper]

That's exactly how I meant it!

Spoiler :