# Should Flag Burning Be Illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 24, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613 "2003-09-24T19:29:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/41 "2003-09-25T12:21:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > **It’s unclear to me from the above if you grasp the concept that, should a flag-burning amendment pass, then it’s PART of the Constitution, and prohibiting flag-buring does no damage to the amended Constitution.** Excellent point. If we pass an amendment making the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court lifetime appointments, then that’s also Constitutional. If we pass an amendment that mandates systematically slaughtering the Amish, that’s also Constitutional. If we ban speech that criticizes the government, outlaw meetings of more than three people in public, and force everyone to wear black leather speedos at all times, that’s Constitutional. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/42 "2003-09-25T12:36:38Z")
…no damage to the _amended_ Constitution… The Super-Qualifier-of-all-Qualifiers! I like it. It’s like kevlar, you can’t touch the argument. But, be afraid, very afraid. ---
**Author:** ![5cents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/46a35a/32.png) [@5cents](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5cents)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/43 "2003-09-25T13:23:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVAA \* > **If we pass an amendment making the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court lifetime appointments** The Supreme court is a lifetime appointment, as with all (most?) other federal judge positions. You could make an argument that Congress is a lifetime appointment, given the observed benefits of incumbency. But to bring it back on topic, a Flag Burning Ammendment is insane. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/44 "2003-09-25T13:41:34Z")
The main consequence of amending the Constitution to prevent the burning of the American flag will be a huge increase in the number of people burning the American flag to protest this reduction in their First Amendment freedoms. Kinda ironic, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![blanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@blanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blanx)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/45 "2003-09-25T13:49:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*It’s unclear to me from the above if you grasp the concept that, should a flag-burning amendment pass, then it’s PART of the Constitution, and prohibiting flag-buring does no damage to the amended Constitution. > > - Rick \*\* Nah, I get it. I was pissed when I posted the original, and less than succinct. I’d have thought that the sentiment behind my statement was clear, though. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/46 "2003-09-25T16:52:33Z")
It’ll never happen. It’s empty political blustering to cater to the rightwing redneck vote. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/47 "2003-09-25T17:30:22Z")
Daisy Cutter said, “disgusting behavior” with regard to burning the flag. Exactly what do you find disgusting about this? The actual act? The speaking out against part or all of the government? The smell? What exactly disgusts you? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/48 "2003-09-25T17:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spogga \* > \*\*I think that you have overlooked the fact that the burning of the US flag, ANY countries flag is meant to be a statement by the burner that he/she feels so strongly about an issue that the burning of the flag is meant to symbolise the destruction of the country that flag represents. \*\* **Czarcasm** told you this was an opinion and not a fact. He was wrong, but not as wrong as you are. 🙂 You are stating, **incorrectly** , what the burner means by burning a flag. This is not a statement of your opinion; rather, this is a statement of the burner’s intentions; as such, it’s factually either correct or incorrect. While some flagburners may mean to symbolize the destruction of the country that flag represents, it’s obvious that no all flagburners mean this; as such, you’re flat-out wrong. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/49 "2003-09-25T17:35:56Z")
Potential Flag Burner: I hate my country, I shall burn the flag! ARRRGH!!! Funny, most people are actually saying, “I LOVE my country. I shall burn the flag.” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/50 "2003-09-25T17:51:21Z")
Actually, if people are going to equate their love of country with flag waving, maybe flags should only be distributed to and flown by people who actually live by the constitution. There are so many who don’t. And maybe you have to vote before you can fly one. And possibly pay taxes without bitchin’ about it. Wouldn’t that cut the flag pollution down by about 50%? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613/51 "2003-09-25T18:34:21Z")
There was a time when I thought flag buring was disrespectful to our veterans, but I eventually concluded that they fought to GIVE ME THE RIGHT tio burn a flag! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-flag-burning-be-illegal/203613.md?page=2)