Iran? North Korea? Oil Prices? Nah, Flag Burning!

In the past, I’ve written about today’s Republican campaign and greater political strategies, and now that it’s in full swing, I thought I’d highlight the stupidity.

North Korea is officially poised to test a missile that is packed with enough boost and thrust to hit the United States. We’re currently engaged in one headline-starving, less prioritized war (Afghanistan), and another occupation where nearly 20,000 American soldiers have suffered injury, and to which another 2,500 have given their lives. We have incredible, gaping holes in our national security here at home, most notably at our nation’s ports, as well as an Iranian regime that is moving along quite nicely with its nuclear facilities – you know because the nation sitting on the 3rd largest oil reserve on the world needs to turn to nuclear power for its financial precedence. The national debt and federal government expansion, both led by the small-government, fiscally responsible Republicans, are the largest in American history, and those in the gulf and southeast coasts are wondering how well FEMA and local governments will respond during this, the start of Hurricane season.

So to what can we attribute the focus of the RepubliFear Congress? Gay marriage, and flag burning (priorities apparently listed in that order).

We all know the Gay marriage amendment, having been the first amendment in history to limit the freedom of a particular group rather than to broaden liberties for Americans, didn’t even make it to the floor for a Constitutional vote.

So, the Republicans have decided they’d take advantage of the national hyper-patriotic mood. They’re going to protect the actual symbol of the United States, instead of protecting the actual freedoms for which that symbol stands.

Now of course, Bush-supporters who read this site need thing broken down to a very simplistic, black and white level, so allow me to indulge them for just a second, and perhaps pre-emptively disarm these people of their obnoxious retorts ahead of time (this part isn’t for the progressives – you can simply skip down 2 paragraphs):

I’m not IN FAVOR of flag-burning. I’ve never burned an American flag, nor would I. When I see people burn the American flag, I’m not happy, proud or supportive – similar to when I see someone performing other unappealing, yet perfectly legal acts – say spanking their kid, or smoking while pregnant (both of which aren’t against the law, but actually affect another person physically, as opposed to flag desecration). What I am in favor of, as kooky as it sounds, is freedom of speech and expression, and to me, discarding a piece of cloth made in china, however vulgar the means, is much less destructive than discarding the freedoms, protections and history that particular cloth symbolizes. That cloth flag burned in San Francisco’s Haight district was not in the South Pacific sacrificing its life during WWII – my grandfather however was, so I’d rather honor him and the freedoms he helped secured, rather than that cloth sewn in 2005.

(Progressives and critical thinkers may now rejoin).

The Senate has projected it has 66 votes in favor of an anti-flag desecration amendment, which reads “The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." To those Senators, I would like to make the following points:

How exactly do you define desecration, and who holds the definition? Should we limit it just to burning the flag? What about taking the flag and tearing it in half? My grandmother wore a sweatshirt with an American flag on it this weekend – she didn’t wash it in the gentle cycle and some of the material ripped off. Technically, she ripped an American flag by her own actions. What should we do with her? What if I ripped it off intentionally, or if I had sewn a patch over it? What if I burned her sweatshirt while it still had a flag on it? What if I have a flag on my wall and spray pain a swastika on it? What if my flag outside my door gets old, worn, and is falling apart? That way I’m not desecrating it but I’m allowing it to be desecrated. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Again like the failed gay marriage amendment, this will be the first time in CENTURIES of Constitutional law, that the Bill of Rights will be infringed upon, and in essence scaled back.

The Supreme Court, in 1989 settled this debate and ruled that flag desecration is protected act under the First Amendment. Does that make the Senators trying to circumvent the law, “activist?”

Freedom of speech has never been curtailed based on the fact that it offends people. Flag burning may be offensive to only to some, but to most – however that doesn’t pass the First Amendment test of when specific speech should be censored.

Throughout history, the Constitution has been amended to expand freedoms and legally define pressing issues that need protections. Have we had a surge of flag burning in the past 30 years, and has that activity threatened our liberties in freedoms in any way? Conversely, can you think of some things President Bush has done to circumvent the law and threaten our liberties and freedoms?

I realize I’ve been accused by Bush supporters of not supporting the troops, so I’m a bad example – but explain for me again how this Amendment helps our troops in Iraq & Afghanistan? Could we perhaps be debating and expanding benefits for soldiers, talking about their pay, security, health care, and medical treatment, or doing more to help their families back home? Perhaps even advocate Rush’s brilliant idea to support our troops?

I have been criticized by some in the past of not hammering on the Democrats enough on this web site. Well, allow me to bask in the opportunity. I think the 13 Democrats that would support this bill are not only in the wrong, they should be ashamed of themselves. We have all come to expect this type of political maneuvering and pandering by Republicans. We knew this would be the summer of flag burning, gay marriage, fetal pain and any other bills that rally the conservative base. (After all, conservatives in this great nation have been ignored for too long! ) However, the Democrats should know better, and the fact that they are joining hands on this wedge issue, this non-issue and non-threat “during a time of war” is absolutely inexcusable.

So yes, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton et all, you’re a bunch of sellouts. Welcome to the wedge issue summer of ’06, and thanks for bowing down to political pressure before bowing to the Constitution. Reason #4,212 I will not support any kind of Hillary primary win is due to the fact that she’ll move more and more to the right like some sort of Sean Hannity cocktail party whore, and this will be on record with all of the other concessions she’s made.

Either way, with or without Democratic support, it’s predicted that this Amendment will at least past the Senate, and become the law of the land before too long, so perhaps it’s wise to ask, just as I did with the death penalty, which nations will be keeping us company philosophically speaking. Here are some of note:

Nazi Germany
China
The former Soviet Union
Iraq (under Saddam)
Iran
Cuba
North Korea

As you ponder joining that stellar group, consider a quote I saw somewhere: "I would rather someone was wrapped in the Constitution burning the flag than wrapped in the flag burning the Constitution."

Or, perhaps Title 1, Chapter 4, Section 8 of the U.S. Code ("Respect for flag") might shed some light on the subject:

"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."