Flag desecration not a burning problem

[struggle4progress]

We have a huge federal budget deficit. We have an even worse problem with our foreign trade deficit. Millions of Americans who have counted on company retirement plans are watching corporations shed those obligations faster than old kitty litter. We are waging a phantom war on terror against invisible enemies, and a real war in Iraq against real insurgents. We have an electoral system most people have less and less trust in. The war on drugs? That's been a big win for us.
With the many challenges our nation faces, is the best Congress can come up with a constitutional amendment to prevent that widespread scourge, flag desecration? Did we miss something? Are we constantly faced with people burning flags every day of our lives? Is that what causes all the air pollution?

Our flag has 13 red and white stripes and 50 white stars on a field of blue. If this amendment was passed, and some protesters made a flag with 14 stripes and 55 stars, then burned it for the TV cameras, could they be charged? It may have looked like the USA flag, but with 14 stripes and 55 stars, it wasn't. Would the protesters have still made their public statement? Would people who revere the flag still be upset? Would anything have been accomplished?

Recently my wife and I bought a frozen custard cone in Nixa. It had a paper wrapper with a partial flag. When people finished their cones, they threw the wrapper into the trash. Under the proposed amendment, would this activity become a crime? Are the thought police going to legislate against intent? Will the amendment read, "Anybody who acts nasty toward anything that is kinda like the flag is in big trouble"? Talk about an enforcement nightmare. <snip>

Paul N. Sidio is an Ozark real estate broker.

http://springfield.news-leader.com/opinions/ozarksvoices/20050614-Flagdesecration.html

[realFedUp]

1. Vote on flag desecration may be 'cliffhanger'

I'd act on this one...

http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeechlist.cfm?c=50

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=3&u=/usatoday/20050615/ts_usatoday/voteonflagdesecrationmaybecliffhanger

Vote on flag desecration may be 'cliffhanger'

By Andrea Stone, USA TODAYWed Jun 15, 7:00 AM ET

The Senate may be within one or two votes of passing a constitutional amendment to ban desecration of the U.S. flag, clearing the way for ratification by the states, a key opponent of the measure said Tuesday.

"It's scary close," said Terri Schroeder of the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes the amendment. "People think it's something that's never going to happen. ... The reality is we're very close to losing this battle."

Congress regularly has debated the issue since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a Texas flag desecration law in 1989 and its own Flag Protection Act the next year. But until now, it has failed to muster the two-thirds vote needed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate before states try to ratify the measure.

Next week, the House will vote on the amendment for a seventh time. If history is a guide, it will pass for a seventh time. That's when the spotlight switches to the Senate, where the amendment has always died.

But this time may be different. Amendment supporters say last year's election expanding the Senate Republican majority to 55 has buoyed their hopes for passage. Five freshmen senators - Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota and David Vitter of Louisiana - voted for the amendment as House members and plan to do so again.

They will be joined by at least five Democrats who have co-sponsored the resolution, including Dianne Feinstein of California and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Both are up for re-election next year.

continued

[realFedUp]

2. If you live in California...tell Ms. Feinstein you don't support her

resolution. This isn't a joke folks.

[realFedUp]

3. Amending the Bill of Rights is a burning issue

but the Sheeple are at home on the range.

aren't feeling the fire underneath them yet.

[wallwriter]

4. Crazy Idea:

Instead of posting the ten commandments on public buildings, why doesn't anyone ever post the Bill of Rights, a document that is actually relevant to what goes on in courthouses and city halls?

[deacon2]

5. "...why doesn't anyone ever post the Bill of Rights..?"

They fear someone will read it.