Lately, there has been a lot of debate concerning flag burning. Some believe that it is a disgrace and should be outlawed, while others, myself included, feel that to disallow burning of a flag is more of a disgrace to the flag than any fire. Regardless of this, there are circumstances where it IS appropriate, even necessary to burn a flag.

My grandfather served in World War II, and played a major part in breaking the Japanese radio code. By no means could you call him unpatriotic. But as a child, i have very distinct memories of him burning a flag. The whole family sat there, watching as it burned to ash, doing nothing.

Are we terrorists? Are we anti-American? No.. the flag was simply old and tattered. The appropriate way to dispose of an old flag is to burn it. So, we folded the flag up, placed it in the fireplace, and respectively lit it on fire. This makes me seriously question those of us who think flag-burning should be illegal. What would they have us do with out old flags? Throw them in the garbage, to rot with old food, dead rats, tin cans, etc? Bury them and let them rot? Obviously, burning a flag respectfully is different than burning one in anger. But really.. where do you draw the line? The whole thing is ridiculous. I have burned flags, and will do it again, and with pride. Anyone who tells me not to is ignorant.

My grandfather is in the American Legion, he often burns flags to dispose of them. It is very patriotic to dispose of flags (often many at a time) in a pyre. Burning is not the issue.

The issue is whether or not burning a flag in protest should be protected by the constitution as free speech. Burning an institution's flag sends a forceful message, and is easily protected by the constitution. Ironically, the people who seriously wish to send a message by burning flags don't fret about being detained or fined, acknowledging the likelihood of resistance when participating in activism in the U.S. regardless of frivolous flag burning laws. This leads many people to suspect a good bit of sensationalism surrounding the issue coming from the Right and their affiliates. The act of flag burning tends to be emphasised while the fact that something is being said is played down.

One could argue that it is patriotic and acceptable to burn a flag in protest, by the very ideas that the flag upholds. One could say a symbol for freedom shouldn't be party to a reduction in liberty.

Fin.

Later Note: Isn't it ironic that anyone cared about this? Major state terrorist murders and cold atrocities that were being planned and implemented as I wrote this write-up are now destroying whole countries. Millions of pounds of flaming flags couldn't stop this sick machine now. What a damned moot point.

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