observe my bitter ranting

[timepiececlock]

I was reading something about people who want to ban flag burning. Those people make me crazy (my own brother included). All that money spent campaigning and energy complaining and for what? The value of American sacrifices in death and in life aren't embodied in our flag, they're embodied in our hearts and memories. The flag is just a symbol, nothing more. As proud as I am of it as my country's symbol, I'm far more proud of what it represents, and that won't go away because someone burns a flag in protest. So let's have some re-organizing of our priorities here, shall we? If we're going to start putting a cap on free speech, let's start with the kind of free speech that at this moment injurs living, breathing human beings, not just your sensibilities. If you're going to ban flag-burning you'd better be prepared to ban pornography first.

Now I'm not sure I'd be happy banning either of those because the slip of that slope really bothers me when I think about it, but I can give you a strong guess that most of the people who are going to demand we be forbidden to burn flags are going to be men, and most of them don't want to lose their porn.

::shakes fist at world, growls, and goes back to studying::

Comments

[v-voltaire.livejournal.com]

I'm one of those people who is pro-flag burning. (Or, more accurately, anti-banning flag burning) I don't think the symbols people use to protest should be limited by the government, and if someone feels strongly enough about the government's action that they want to (in a safe environment with a fire extinguisher nearby) burn a flag, then burn away.

I'm just worried that if flag burning is banned, what other images may also become un-defaceable? Will we be unable to use the President's crossed-out face on signs for a protest? What about critical remarks about the President or the country? This is the slippery slope, people!

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

I remember reading a Weekly Reader or something in grade school talking about the controversy over flag-burning. I pretty much thought, freedom of speech should be more important than a piece of fabric. How I could get this when I was eight, but intelligent adults like Hillary Clinton don't, I do not understand. Frankly, I think she's simply pandering in preparation for 2008, and it makes my respect for her decline.

Now, I'm not saying flag burning is a good idea. But free speech isn't just about the speech we like.

Also? I haven't heard anything about anybody burning flags in the U.S. recently. It's not like we have some rash of flag-burning going on. The people burning American flags live overseas, in places like Iraq and Palestine, and contrary to popular belief, they don't have to do what we say. Banning flag burning is a gesture that fosters illusions of being in charge of the whole world.