IvyMike

Flag Burning Amendment Near Passage

There are plenty of things people do that I think are dumb. But that doesn't mean those things should be against the law. That's what freedom is: Just because you find something distasteful doesn't mean it should be illegal.

But of course that argument is a little nuanced and the ignorant (sometimes willfully ignorant) can't quite grasp it. Thus it seems like we're a hair's breadth away from an anti-flag burning amendment. What a ugly, vulgar, stain against freedom this amendment would be; it's vandalism of the constitution.

Anonymous Liberal has more on what he rightfully calls the Dumbest Law Ever.

Update: Diane Feinstein's editorial IN FAVOR of the amendment. "There is no idea or thought expressed by the burning of the American flag that cannot be expressed equally well in another manner. This Amendment would leave both the flag and free speech safe." That's right, according to her, freedom means you can be punished simply because you could have said the same thing another way.

Senator Feinstein's article is the rebuttal to this USA Today editorial against the amendment. "In fact, what makes the flag so special is this: It stands for a nation that deems individual liberties so important, it tolerates unpopular minority opinion." And when USA Today bests you, you've got problems.

Tags: politics, freedom, flag, constitution

posted by IvyMike @ 6/19/2006 10:59:00 PM