Flag burning not always wrong

    Congress is at it again.

    The public has repeatedly rejected flag burning amendments, but the key word in this sentence is repeatedly.

    Lawmakers keep trying to protect our flag and at the same time further limit our freedom of speech. Flag burning is an issue that raises the passions of most Americans.

    Most people are not in favor of flag burning, but they understand that it is one of the necessary evils in a free society. If a person becomes so upset with our government that he or she decides to set Old Glory ablaze, then we should respect that person’s right to do so.
    Now, it is highly hypocritical to burn the flag. Think for a minute—a person is upset with our government and thinks it has become oppressive. This person thinks that by burning the symbol of our government, he or she is making a statement.

    So what is the statement? That an oppressive government would allow its symbol to be desecrated?

    That reeks of hypocrisy.

    Burning a flag may be distasteful, but it is an acceptable form of protest as compared to, say, blowing up a federal building.

    It may outrage people, but that is what protests are all about—showing one’s displeasure with an issue while making others have to think about it.

    Another problem with such an amendment is that many times our lawmakers are not aware of all the facts. They will attempt to pass a law prohibiting flag burning without realizing that burning is the traditional method of disposing of flags.

    Most people are not aware that old, worn American flags are burned during a respectful ceremony. Many lawmakers were not aware of this either.

    Another problem with such an amendment is determining where desecration starts and pride in the flag ends.

    Will the flag be banned from t-shirts, tattoos and drinking glasses? Will the tiny plastic flags that are sold on the Fourth of July be banned also?

    Can someone be jailed for leaving a flag in the rain? If one of those things happened, then a person would have sufficient cause to burn the flag because then our government would be oppressive.
Also, our flag has lost a lot of weight as a symbol lately. The flag is flown at half-staff in honor of almost any tragedy.

    If a sports figure or celebrity dies, many businesses and government offices will fly their flag at half-staff.

    Common flag ethics reserve that honor for presidents, ex-presidents and lawmakers among a few select others.

    Surely, flag burning is not as disgraceful as diminishing the honor of the flag.

    Lawmakers need to learn that flag burning is not a problem. We have real problems that need to be taken care of.