How do you feel about the burning of the American flag?

[Katie N]

They can do that if they want to, I don't see any harm in it.

[Theinquisition]

If someone is burning a flag, they're telling you how they feel about the country or organisation it represents. If that makes you feel bad, well it's probably supposed to.

Flags are really just silly pageantry, a relic of centuries-old nationalism.



It's been repeatedly defended by the Supreme Court as a legitimate exercise of the First Amendment, and all attempts to jam a flag desecration act into the Constitution have been voted down.

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They're disrespecting a piece of cloth with a drawing on it. You're disrespecting the First Amendment. I think you guys should be the ones on the boat out of America, since you are only interested in its symbols, and not what they stand for.

You're the same guy who manically laughed at the deaths of 3 thousand people on 9/11, and you're not even American, so how about you save your false indignation.

[Mormolyce]

I also hope you realize that your use of the word patriotism is superbly ignorant considering that it's pretty much by definition the very behavior (i.e. nationalism) that you were decrying earlier. Use words you understand if you're going to argue with me.

That fact that you equate patriotism and nationalism is the entire problem you're having in this thread.

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You're the same guy who manically laughed at the deaths of 3 thousand people on 9/11, and you're not even American, so how about you save your false indignation.

And if I was American, the First Amendment would protect that laughter too.

[Theinquisition]

Or they could, you know, make political demonstrations and try to change the messed up politics. The options for disliking the current state of your country aren't just "leave or stfu"

You know who you change minds and push movements? my making educated arguments and winning hearts and minds.

You don't spit on something important to many people, especially when you can't make a coherent argument for why your doing it.

[Theinquisition]

That fact that you equate patriotism and nationalism is the entire problem you're having in this thread.

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And if I was American, the First Amendment would protect that laughter too.

It would, you'd still be a piece of shit who should be called out and confronted at every opportunity, but yes you still would have freedom of speech.

[Derpleton]

Or they could, you know, make political demonstrations and try to change the messed up politics. The options for disliking the current state of your country aren't just "leave or stfu"

Burning the flag of a nation is something which represents hatred towards the nation itself, and everything it represents, thus it being the symbol of a nation. Dissatisfaction at a political issue can be protested through other means that are less "anti-american" and more "anti-party X" I.E. signs, pictures etc. Rather than destruction of the symbol of the nation. I don't think people in the Middle East burn US flags because they hate the GOP or any other political party, its because they hate the existence of America.

[Katie N]

You're the same guy who manically laughed at the deaths of 3 thousand people on 9/11, and you're not even American, so how about you save your false indignation.

[Cthulhu 2020]

You know who you change minds and push movements? my making educated arguments and winning hearts and minds.

You don't spit on something important to many people, especially when you can't make a coherent argument for why your doing it.

Sure, you need to sway people. But the people who are salty about flag burning aren't going to be the type who would change their minds. They have already made up their minds about Muslims, blacks, gays, poor people, etc.

[Derpleton]

You want them to leave the country for disrespecting a flag.

Why don't you leave the country if the First Amendment bothers you so much? That's a lot more important to America than a dopey piece of cloth.

So me having my own thoughts and thinking that someone one should leave rather than forcing them to leave is a violation of the first amendment? K. I don't see how if someone told me to leave the country its a violation of the first amendment, its only a violation if they do something to you, in order to suppress free speech. I fail to see how a suggestion suppresses anyone

[Cthulhu 2020]

Burning the flag of a nation is something which represents hatred towards the nation itself, and everything it represents, thus it being the symbol of a nation. Dissatisfaction at a political issue can be protested through other means that are less "anti-american" and more "anti-party X" I.E. signs, pictures etc. Rather than destruction of the symbol of the nation. I don't think people in the Middle East burn US flags because they hate the GOP or any other political party, its because they hate the existence of America.

Or it can means hated towards the backwards direction a country is going, and the twisted orange leaders some are choosing to follow. Expression can mean many things.

[Hooked]

Nice tu quoque, but no I don't advocate for hate speech laws. Back to you.

Its not illogical fallacy, its who makes the rules determining what is and is not hate speech. I think burning an American flag Is hate speech when the disgusting looking unkempt loser with no path to the future blurts it out on a bullhorn. She calls white people Nazis and black people uncle toms.

[Theinquisition]

Don't really care at this point, besides your vietneese your opinion doesn't matter. Come back when the majority of your population has working toilets.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Or me slapping you in the face can mean that I secretly love you. I'm going to hold you responsible for knowing the difference.

I mean if you deliberately don't want to understand, that's on you.

[Hooked]

i dont feel anything - but im also not surprised - most of americans live in complete utopia and dont realise that over half of the orld see US as nothing but world's biggest terorist country which started dozens of wars in last 50 years just for oil and $.

Oh we see that, that's why we need a powerful military, to put you back into line. You better root for trump because hes the only one not controlled by the military industrial complex as a poor stooge. Trump Is going to bring both the bushes and the Clintons down, that's a fact.

[Theinquisition]

Sure, you need to sway people. But the people who are salty about flag burning aren't going to be the type who would change their minds. They have already made up their minds about Muslims, blacks, gays, poor people, etc.

There are plenty of "middle of the road" Americans who see it exactly for what it is.

A bunch of privileged kids who are trying to be edgy and piss people off. Most of these "protesters" don't even know what they are pissed off about.

It immediately puts people on the defensive. I have yet to meet someone who said "boy these guys are pissed, maybe we should address their concerns" after seeing them burn the flag. Usually they just call them assholes and walk away. They are as efffective at bringing people to their cause as Klan members are at public rallies.

Once again, free country do what you want. Most people still see it as being nearly as offensive as a screaming a racial slur.

[Deleted]

Just a piece of cloth

Doesn't matter if it's a piece of cloth, there's obviously a meaning behind or in this flag that they're burning down, that's something to react for.

[Cthulhu 2020]

There are plenty of "middle of the road" Americans who see it exactly for what it is.

A bunch of privileged kids who are trying to be edgy and piss people off. Most of these "protesters" don't even know what they are pissed off about.

It immediately puts people on the defensive. I have yet to meet someone who said "boy these guys are pissed, maybe we should address their concerns" after seeing them burn the flag. Usually they just call them assholes and walk away. They are as efffective at bringing people to their cause as Klan members are at public rallies.

Once again, free country do what you want. Most people still see it as being nearly as offensive as a screaming a racial slur.

True enough. This is one of the big reasons Trump is shaky in popularity, he's really radical and appeals to edgelords who think America has gone to shit... when it's just fine compared to nearly every other place in the world.

[Hooked]

There are plenty of "middle of the road" Americans who see it exactly for what it is.

A bunch of privileged kids who are trying to be edgy and piss people off. Most of these "protesters" don't even know what they are pissed off about.

It immediately puts people on the defensive. I have yet to meet someone who said "boy these guys are pissed, maybe we should address their concerns" after seeing them burn the flag. Usually they just call them assholes and walk away. They are as efffective at bringing people to their cause as Klan members are at public rallies.

Once again, free country do what you want. Most people still see it as being nearly as offensive as a screaming a racial slur.

Nicely put.

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True enough. This is one of the big reasons Trump is shaky in popularity, he's really radical and appeals to edgelords who think America has gone to shit... when it's just fine compared to nearly every other place in the world.

Its not fine, we are 21 trillion in debt, and we have no security on our borders to keep the illegal gimmegrants out.

[Deleted]

they burned a flag and suddenly the world is not racist anymore

[Mormolyce]

It would, you'd still be a piece of shit who should be called out and confronted at every opportunity, but yes you still would have freedom of speech.

Which you are free to do.

You could even yell at me to "leave this country", but you couldn't make me do it.

Words have actual meanings. If you don't think patriotism and nationalism are fundamentally related if not synonyms, you are arguing from a point of lack of education and an inability to locate and utilize primary resources as simple as a FUCKING DICTIONARY.

A patriot cares about his country and wants it to be the best it can be. A nationalist is a moron who likes waving flags and doesn't understand or care what they represent.