Constitutional Amendment to Ban Flag Burning

[Gordon B]

I think it's idiotic. Presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark told American Legionaires in a speech this week that he favors the Amendment. Nice way to pander to your audience, Clark.

Pro Amendment
Clark
Kucinich
Gephardt

Anti Amendment
Dean
Kerry
Lieberman


Source: AP except for Dean's position, which I found doing a web search.

Does anybody here support the amendment? If so, why?

[shrugs]

Originally posted by Gordon B
I think it's idiotic. Presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark told American Legionaires in a speech this week that he favors the Amendment. Nice way to pander to your audience, Clark.

So his having to salute the flag once or twice couldn't possibly sway his thinking? I am not for this amendment but once you have served under the flag, it tends to arouse stronger emotions. I'll always remember standing topside in Pearl Harbor while observing colors.

[Salvador Dali Lama]

that dog is great, Gordon.

I think this amendment is a waste of ink and paper. its just another of the baziliions of laws that would do absolutely dick, but make politicians look good (to some). It serves them well though, as long as they push bullshit laws like this it gives people something to talk and think about that keeps them away from anything that might actually affect their lives.

[Pete C]

I'm surprised about Kucinich.

[tippy]

>>I think this amendment is a waste of ink and paper<<

ditto.

• I also think the amendment is silly. Not surprised to see the named Democrats in support of it; integrity is becoming increasingly rarer on the Hill. Gephardt is, IMO, a straw in the wind. I agree, Pete, I had expected more spine from Kusinich. The problem may well be that a person of integrity and honesty doesn't stand a chance of being elected--it's all about having money and not having any hesitancy when it comes to catering to the audience of the moment. One would think that today's instant and wide-spread communications might make it more difficult for these people to contradict themselves, but they have the advantage of voter apathy--you expect to be lied to by politicians, and so you are.

[shrugs]

and won't Dean need to support it if he wants in with the good ole boys?

[Captain Hate]

Originally posted by Pete C
I'm surprised about Kucinich.

You shouldn't be; that fuckwad will pander to anything. He comes from a long line of Croatian barn burners and well poisoners.

I'm certainly not for this but I understand the attitude that shrugs stated in his post. Most of the people that burn the flag are assholes but, as I've said before, being an asshole is not a crime. Nor should it be.

[Uli]

It's a really stoopid thing. I am sure Bush is fer it.

[MRS]

wood n' hay kin burn

[shrugs]

Originally posted by Uli
It's a really stoopid thing. I am sure Bush is fer it.

Hell yeah he's for it. Those are good flags that can be sent to the widows he has created.

[strich]

This is simply dumb-ass. I did some active duty time in the Marine Corps in the late 80s/early 90s, when this issue came up the first time 'round. I was in a unit of only 7-8 officers, no enlisted, and every single one of us thought it was a useless and unecessary amendment. I always felt like my military duty served (in a miniscule way) to PROTECT flag-burners and their freedom of speech. I never agreed with them, but I certainly didn't (and don't now) think it was a criminal offense.

[shrugs]

Originally posted by strich
I was in a unit of only 7-8 officers, no enlisted, and every single one of us thought it was a useless and unecessary amendment.

So like good officers, you all went along with the CO?

[mke]

Yes, but is the flag industry against it?

[stonemonkts]

I loathe symbolic acts of any kind, so I'm against the very notion of giving a shit about flags one way, or the other. The burners are assholes, as Hate said, and the people who make an issue of it are panderers, or hollow people at best.

People who are attracted to this type of bullshit seriously need to grow up already.

Do something with meaning and intent, with actual results, or shut the fuck up and sit down.

Pass me the nut bowl.

[Uli]

If they pass it, couldn't they just start burning the constitution?

[Clay Fink]

Originally posted by Captain Hate
...as I've said before, being an asshole is not a crime. Nor should it be.

Thank god!!!

[Clay Fink]

Seriously, I think burning the flag SHOULD be illegal, but only if you wrap a politician in it first.

[Monte Smith]

I'd hate to see the beauty and flow of the Constitution clogged up with a spurious amendment like this; any flag burning problem we develop can easily be handled by vigilantes. Sheesh.

[frankiepop]

Ban Flag Burning

since burn is the operative word here, then i ask whether it would be legal


for YOKO ONO to drap herself in the flag and have a man from the audience
scissor it off?

willie's mother to willie,

................ 'wiiilllie, cover ur eyes young man.'

[bluenoter]

Originally posted by Captain Hate
a long line of Croatian barn burners and well poisoners

Captain, that seems like a gratuitous display of Hate.

I'm glad to see that we have unanimity on the flag-burning amendment so far
( ). But wait--Willy hasn't checked in yet!

Originally posted by bluenoter
But wait--Willy hasn't checked in yet!

• He's away from his computer, burning a collection of Syrian, Irani, Jordanian, and North Korean flags--plus, of course, the tricolore.

[Dr Dave]

Let's not pussyfoot around, here. If we're going to ban flag-burning, let's make it a capital crime. We're Top Country in the Whole World, right? Let's put flag-burners to death. And if it turns out that the flag-burners have connections to Al Queda, we'll put them to death twice! And show it on TV! That will teach the world to show us respect.

[Gordon B]

The proposed Constitutional Amendment would overturn Texas v. Johnson (1989). Chris A may find this hard to believe but Scalia joined Brennan's majority opinion and Kennedy wrote a concurring opinion.

SDL, that's Oscar, our french bulldog. He's more fun than I ever imagined.

[Gordon B]

Originally posted by Pete C
I'm surprised about Kucinich.

The House of Representatives voted for the Amendment 300-125 in June of this year. Kucinich voted in favor.

[strich]

Originally posted by shrugs
So like good officers, you all went along with the CO?

Yeah, pretty much. That's why I lasted a whole 3.5 years on active duty....

In fact, we had a pretty solid bunch of folks after we rid ourselves of the LtCol who once admonished me for walking alongside him on his right side. Tsk, tsk. I'd bet some big dough that he's in favor of the amendment.

[Captain Hate]

Originally posted by Clay Fink
Seriously, I think burning the flag SHOULD be illegal, but only if you wrap a politician in it first.

Brother Fink, don't you mean legal??

[Captain Hate]

Originally posted by bluenoter
Captain, that seems like a gratuitous display of Hate.

I'm glad to see that we have unanimity on the flag-burning amendment so far
( ). But wait--Willy hasn't checked in yet!

I thought the "fuckwad" characterization was more hateful, but I'll defer to you on this. And can you prove that I'm not correct?!?!?!!?

I'm not a betting person, but it wouldn't surprise me if Willy agreed with us on this. But if he didn't, isn't that ok?? I mean diversity and all that??

btw, was the server for this down earlier? It was impossible for me to log on around 8. Not that I didn't have other things to do, like listen to disc 1 of the All Angels Concerts!!

[bluenoter]

Captain--I was objecting to your characterization of Croatians, not your characterization of Kucinich. Why malign a whole ethnic group?

Yes, the server was down, or something.

Of course it's okay if Willy disagrees on the flag-burning amendment, but wouldn't unanimity be nice to see for a change?

[Gordon B]

CH, I couldn't get on around 9:30.

I think that most politicians in favor of the flag burning amendment would not be in favor of it if they weren't politicians.