Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue!

The Senate is once again debating the flag desecration amendment:

"The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."

Funny how they always get around to these hot button issues before the elections. Makes you wonder how serious they really are. Frankly, I think the Constitution is not something to be tinkered with just to give the boys in Congress a photo op.

Passage of the amendment is a cowardly act that will not accomplish its purpose. It is political pandering and shows a lack of faith in ordinary Americans to act responsibly. So far, in my life I have heard of very, very few instances of actual flag burning by Americans. The fact that so few have used such a profound form of protest is a testament to America's strength of character and a celebration of our freedom.

As to the argument that the desecration is objectionable to veterans (and others) I say, so what? Lots of free speech is objectionable, but it is more objectionable to outlaw it. Personally, I'd like to throw in jail all the merchants who use the flag to promote their businesses or turn the flag into clothing, and how about a President (Bush) who signs autographs on souvenir flags - a blatant example of desecration! Individuals have different ideas of what is objectionable, and the purpose of the Bill of Rights is not to protect the majority opinion.

Wouldn't everyone rather live in a country where we have the freedom to protest and where so few feel the need to do so? I mean, that's something to be proud of. Or would you rather live in a country where the political leaders can restrict your speech just because they don't like it. All of the totalitarian regimes protect their flags from a populace that, given the freedom, would cheerfully burn them. Do we want to be like them?