Should Flag Burning Be Illegal?

[Krigaren]

Those aren't specific circumstances, it is so vague it could apply to anything. And you do understand most on the left like Hilary little better than Trump?

How much more specific would you like? "1) Primary purpose of inciting violence between 4pm and 6pm on Monday evenings at the 4th block of 51st street in New York City; inciter must be named Gary." You're right, anything else would be totally vague.

And you do understand that who likes whom isn't the point of my comment at all? Who am I kidding, of course you don't.

[Kathandira]

When the symbol of your countries freedom (Our Flag) no longer symbolizes your freedom, then it makes sense to no longer respect/revere that symbol as it is a false idol.

However, I do not believe that burning the flag is the best way to go about it. It's quite a cry baby approach. Rather than destroying the symbol of our freedom, why not use it to push back and wave that flag in the very faces of those who are putting your freedom on trial?

In every protest, every member should be waving our flag to show that what the flag once stood for, needs to be revived. Diversity, Freedom, Justice (in no particular order). Instead of taking the flag down for themselves, they should be demanding those who are compromising their freedom no longer stand with our flag, and no longer are allowed to use it as a representation of their motives. Take away the symbol from those who do not uphold it's meaning.

[Deleted]

How much more specific would you like? "1) Primary purpose of inciting violence between 4pm and 6pm on Monday evenings at the 4th block of 51st street in New York City; inciter must be named Gary." You're right, anything else would be totally vague.

Specific enough that it couldn't be applied to almost anything.

[Tijuana]

Those poll results might be surprising to some, since Liberals tend to be anti-America. However, I think the desire (by Liberals) to exert authoritarianism upon others is clearly shown here.

Personally, I could not be more against flag burning becoming illegal. It's a free speech right, as established by the SCOTUS, in a great brief by Scalia.

[Tijuana]

Congratulations on winning the gold medal in mental gymnastics.

Did you find the poll results surprising or no? A board full of Liberals wanting flag burning banned is not what many would have expected, in my opinion. I take you disagree? Or were you just offended that I called Liberals authoritarian?

[Thrackerzod]

It's funny how Trump doesn't seem to mind burning the Constitution.

[Krigaren]

Those poll results might be surprising to some, since Liberals tend to be anti-America. However, I think the desire (by Liberals) to exert authoritarianism upon others is clearly shown here.

Yep, totally the left that's telling people who they can marry, who can and can not form legal families, who can and can not adopt, who can and can not have autonomy over their own bodies, etc. You know the left is all about telling private citizens what they are and aren't allowed to do.

Oh wait, that's the GOP.

Personally, I could not be more against flag burning becoming illegal. It's a free speech right, as established by the SCOTUS, in a great brief by Scalia.

A great brief by Scalia, as he aligned with all of the "liberal" justices (the other conservative judges dissented). Which again just goes to prove that Liberals and the left tend to be the most pro-America, as they believe the most in personal freedom.

- - - Updated - - -

Did you find the poll results surprising or no? A board full of Liberals wanting flag burning banned is not what many would have expected, in my opinion. I take you disagree?

You also seem to be mis-understanding the poll.

"Should flag burning be illegal?" 83.22% say no.

[Tijuana]

The poll results say the majority think burning the flag should be legal. They also don't tell you the political leanings of each group of voters. Despite claims that this board is "full of liberals," there are plenty of people who are conservative as well. They just constantly push a narrative of victimhood and persecution, as though they're some unloved minority. On the whole, both groups tend to be fairly extreme here, and what we're short on are people who are fairly centrist in their views.

Aww shit. Then I'm an idiot. I obviously misread it. rofl

This board has only a handful of regular conservative posters, at least, ones that can actually articulate their ideas in any meaningful way.

[Espe]

I'm in the military on deployment right now.

It's a piece of cloth. I find it highly offensive to burn it, but offense is not enough of a reason to declare something illegal.

I find it hilarious how conservatives laugh at liberals for their "safe spaces" and "pc culture," but at the idea of offensive criticism of their country, they get triggered.

I think Al Franken said it best:

Conservatives love America like a 4-year-old loves his mommy. Liberals love America like grown-ups. To a 4-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow.

[Caolela]

Were you in the Military? No
Are you from America? No

Then you wont realize the value of what that means to others.

I'm American and was in the military.

You're talking brainwashed, jingoistic horseshit. The same kind of knee-jerk nationalism that every right-wing authoritarian shithole has ever done.

When you join the military, you take an oath to the Constitution - to protect it against all enemies foreign and domestic - which means anyone that's trying to subvert those principles, not someone that's protesting their gov'ts asshattery.

Not an oath to any flag, commander, army or navy, politician, or political party. Hopefully you're expected to have brains enough to know the difference.

[Kujako]

I think Al Franken said it best:

I prefer the often mangled quote by Carl Schurz...

“My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”

People tend to leave off the last two parts...

[Gemini Soul]

Burning your own country's flag should be illegal, its a hate crime and hate crime trumps 1st amendment.

[Caolela]

Burning your own country's flag should be illegal, its a hate crime and hate crime trumps 1st amendment.

Show the statute that declares it a hate crime. Maybe in Nazi Germany burning swastika flags was...

[Tijuana]

Burning your own country's flag should be illegal, its a hate crime and hate crime trumps 1st amendment.

No, it doesn't. This isn't Vietnam, Smoky. This is bowling. There are rules. Flag burning has been determined to be a constitutional right, by the SCOTUS. It isn't a hate crime. That is ridiculous. What specific group would be harmed by flag burning? Hate crime status in the US only applies to crimes committed against individuals over who they are.

[-Nurot]

Burning your own country's flag should be illegal, its a hate crime and hate crime trumps 1st amendment.

Not in America, in America you can parade around in bed-sheets and burn crosses and its protected speech.

Who exactly are you hating in this case? The cloth you're burning? The government? If it should be illegal to hate the government, then we're going to have a whole lot of people who should be in trouble for the tantrums thrown the past 8 years. Whiny-pants-elect included.

[TwistedSkull]

I know a guy that burns the American flag on a yearly basis for 5 years now.

[TITAN308]

No. People should be free to burn it, poop on it, or run it through their nether regions if they see fit.

The only punishment they should receive is that of public opinion and how people view them for doing such acts. The law however shouldn't be involved at all.

[Bad Management]

It already is illegal in my country, even letting the flag make contact with the ground is illegal.
I don't really give a shit though, a flag is nothing but fabric to me.

[Caolela]

No, it doesn't. This isn't Vietnam, Smoky. This is bowling. There are rules. Flag burning has been determined to be a constitutional right, by the SCOTUS. It isn't a hate crime. That is ridiculous. What specific group would be harmed by flag burning? Hate crime status in the US only applies to crimes committed against individuals over who they are.

Yep, this is the biggest joke I've heard in a while. Flag burning...the old Republican "red meat" issue going back to Nixon and some of his "Law and Order" campaign bullshit.

Fear and Loathing Redux, 2016 vers.

[Tijuana]

It's like people fail to see the obvious point that being deeply offended by flag burning, is the intended result. They are offending you on purpose, in order to show how strongly they feel about an issue.