Anti-Flag Burning Amendment? Is This The Best Use Of The Senate's Time?
The Associated Press reported today that the Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to put an Anti-Flag Burning amendment before the full Senate for a vote. The amendment seeks to give to Congress the, "power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." As things currently stand, it is generally interpreted that flag burning is protected under the 1st Amendment.
Don't get me wrong, I do not like to see someone burn a flag.
I recognize my flag as an important symbol of the United States. I get angry when I see protestors burning it elsewhere in the world. But...isn't part of what makes us unique as Americans, the right to express ourselves, non-violently, even if it is in a manner that others find objectionable?
So why now?
Simply put, politics. Again. The Republican Senate, led in large part by Majority Leader, Dr. Bill Frist, is trying to use the approaching 4th of July holiday to whip up election year patriotic fervor. They are hoping that you'll believe that this amendment will somehow strengthen the United States. They are hoping that you'll think, "Damn, the Republicans stepped up to the plate and got it done!"
What They Hope You'll Forget...
They are hoping you'll forget that over 2,500 American troops have lost their lives in Iraq with no end in sight. They are hoping you'll forget that gas is over $3.00 a gallon. They are hoping you'll forget the anguish you saw on television as people lived in their own waste, without food or water, after Hurricane Katrina. They are hoping you'll forget that the President authorized the National Security Agency to conduct wiretapping on Americans without the benefit of a warrant. They are hoping you'll forget that someone in the Bush administration committed treason by leaking the identity of an undercover CIA operative to the media. They are hoping you'll forget a lot of things.
But don't you do it!
Write to your Senator. Express your opinion on flag burning, if you wish, but tell them to get back to work on the real issues that we're facing. There are a lot of them. And no amount of flag burning prevention will solve them!
Don't get me wrong, I do not like to see someone burn a flag.
I recognize my flag as an important symbol of the United States. I get angry when I see protestors burning it elsewhere in the world. But...isn't part of what makes us unique as Americans, the right to express ourselves, non-violently, even if it is in a manner that others find objectionable?
So why now?
Simply put, politics. Again. The Republican Senate, led in large part by Majority Leader, Dr. Bill Frist, is trying to use the approaching 4th of July holiday to whip up election year patriotic fervor. They are hoping that you'll believe that this amendment will somehow strengthen the United States. They are hoping that you'll think, "Damn, the Republicans stepped up to the plate and got it done!"
What They Hope You'll Forget...
They are hoping you'll forget that over 2,500 American troops have lost their lives in Iraq with no end in sight. They are hoping you'll forget that gas is over $3.00 a gallon. They are hoping you'll forget the anguish you saw on television as people lived in their own waste, without food or water, after Hurricane Katrina. They are hoping you'll forget that the President authorized the National Security Agency to conduct wiretapping on Americans without the benefit of a warrant. They are hoping you'll forget that someone in the Bush administration committed treason by leaking the identity of an undercover CIA operative to the media. They are hoping you'll forget a lot of things.
But don't you do it!
Write to your Senator. Express your opinion on flag burning, if you wish, but tell them to get back to work on the real issues that we're facing. There are a lot of them. And no amount of flag burning prevention will solve them!
posted by John Fracchia at 4:44 PM
3 Comments:
Another outstadning Blog John. Lets not forget that we have the largest prison population per captia in the world, the largest debt(thanks for buying all China), Enormous amounts of Illiteracy and children in poverty, we have a infant death rate thats an embarassment and the list goes on.
We have seen A "Marriage Protection Act" and then this dog and pony show. I am appalled. Simply stated.
Another outstanding Blog John. Lets not forget that we have the largest prison population per captia in the world, the largest debt(thanks for buying it all China), Enormous amounts of illiteracy and children in poverty, we have a infant death rate thats an embarassment and the list goes on.
We have seen A "Marriage Protection Act" and then this dog and pony show. I am appalled.
Well said anonymous! These are all subjects that will likely be explored in future writings. Sad that's it's such a long list...
- John
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