# Would you burn the flag in protest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 23, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558 "2005-06-23T17:40:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/21 "2005-06-24T02:35:14Z")
I would never burn a flag, but you can be damn sure that I want the legal right to change my mind. > [@hajario](#): > > Only an asshole would burn a flag as a protest. > [@Captain Lance Murdoch](#): > > Flag burning is idiotic. > [@UrbanChic](#): > > What kind of moron burns a flag in protest? Are you guys talking about protests in general, or specifically protesting the proposed amendment? If you mean burning the flag to protest an amendment that outlaws burning the flag, I agree. But if you mean protests in general, why “asshole,” “idiotic,” and “moron”? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/22 "2005-06-24T03:18:49Z")
I wouldn’t, because it would be personally meaningless to me. The flag of my nation means nothing to me, so burning it means nothing to me. It would mean no more than burning a shirt or a piece of junk mail. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/23 "2005-06-24T03:19:24Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m also wondering, if they make it illegal to burn flags, what are we going to do with all the old ones? As I understand it, burning is the only means of disposal allowed. Or is burning allowed for non-protest disposal of used flags? So, you could burn one, but you couldn’t gripe about anything while you were doing it? My understanding is that the proposed amendment only criminalizes burning a flag if it is done to make a political statement. If you burn a flag to dispose of it or if you burn one incidental to setting a schoolhouse on fire, the Constitution will be cool with that. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/24 "2005-06-24T03:47:09Z")
> [@Genghis Bob](#): > > It’s a sentimental thing. At 44, I still cry at ball games when they play the National Anthem; and the Olympics - hoo, boy. Weepfest. > > So, no, I couldn’t take a match to the flag. I just don’t have it in me. Are you serious? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/25 "2005-06-24T04:19:51Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > My understanding is that the proposed amendment only criminalizes burning a flag if it is done to make a political statement. If you burn a flag to dispose of it or if you burn one incidental to setting a schoolhouse on fire, the Constitution will be cool with that. This is what frightens me. It would be criminalizing a form of free speech. What’s the next step, going to prison for criticizing the government? The US is looking more like Big Brother slowly but surely. It is my opinion that this amendment chips away at one of the basic tenets of the constitution. I think they have to choose between desecrating the flag or desecrating the constitution. I know which one I think is more important. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/26 "2005-06-24T11:05:47Z")
As I’ve read in other threads, it is proper to burn an American flag when the object has become so soiled as to be unfit to be flown. Adding this amendment to the Constitution would damage the object that it claims to protect, and I would have no problem seeing flags being burnt as a result. ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/27 "2005-06-24T11:11:48Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Are you serious? :dubious: Yes, I am serious. Why do you find this strange? ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/28 "2005-06-24T12:25:51Z")
This is the sad thing. I’m a fire safety director, and my first thought was that I’d be all in favor of burning a flag in protest of anti-flag burning laws but probably wouldn’t be able to go through with it because after going through fire safety director training, man, you see A LOT of videos of burn victims who started out intending to burn some tiny little thing on a whim. Don’t play with fire, kids! And certainly not in a crowd of people. Also, while intellectually, I support protest flag burning, emotionally I would be really reluctant to burn a flag once it was actually in my hand. Instead, maybe I will fly a flag desecrated in some other way, adding a little needlepoint to the effect of “Every time you amend the Constitution to limit free speech, you make baby James Madison cry.” A modern day Betsy Ross, I am. ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/29 "2005-06-24T12:43:35Z")
The idea of the amendment is not to ban flag-burning, but to clearly identify the people in Congress unwilling to ban flag-burning. Then, people associated with a certain political party can label those people as being “pro-flag-burning” when election season rolls around next year. Every little bit helps. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/30 "2005-06-24T13:32:26Z")
I wouldn’t burn a flag, strictly on pragmatic grounds. It’s a really stupid tactic. What do flag burners imagine people thing when they see the flag being burnt? \>Sideshow Bob mode\<“Oh, look that person is clearly upset over this issue. I really must rethink my position vis a vis this issue to ensure that I am correct.”\>/Sideshow Bob mode\< I think it goes a little more like this: \>Pappy Yoakum mode\<“What the dang nat crappy? I’ll show that ping-nabbed what smooly aut smurfit is all about! Where’s my shotgun?” \>/Pappy Yoakum mode\< In the huge majority of cases, all flag burners ever do is make people (inside the US) hostile to their cause. Outside the US (when we’re talking about US flags) – whole different story. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/31 "2005-06-24T14:00:58Z")
For gods sake… don’t burn flags in protest ! It will be the “fuel” for passing the senate hurdle. It will give rightwingers the justification. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/32 "2005-06-24T14:10:28Z")
We have no plans to burn flags. We plan to write to our sentors, and attend protest rallies. No flag burning involved. The question is,what should we do when the law is passed… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/33 "2005-06-24T14:16:51Z")
> [@RTA](#): > > The idea of the amendment is not to ban flag-burning, but to clearly identify the people in Congress unwilling to ban flag-burning. > > Then, people associated with a certain political party can label those people as being “pro-flag-burning” when election season rolls around next year. > > Every little bit helps. Give that man a kewpie doll! We must at all costs identify those with ‘un-American’ leanings in this country. It’s part of the right’s agenda to revive the McCarthy era. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/34 "2005-06-24T14:19:23Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > We have no plans to burn flags. We plan to write to our sentors, and attend protest rallies. No flag burning involved. The question is,what should we do when the law is passed… Oh ok. Still I felt a possibility mentioned of burning in protest before… sure afterwards isn’t as bad. I venture that once the first guy is in jail or punished for it… you can take it until the supreme court. Still it will be vindication in a way for the “patriotic” justifying the law. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/35 "2005-06-24T14:37:32Z")
> [@Captain Lance Murdoch](#): > > Flag burning is idiotic. > > Amending the Constitution to prohibit flag burning would be beyond idiotic. In fact it would be fascist. I’m going to trot out my standard contribution to the flag burning debate: If you want to retaliate against someone who has burned an American flag, the best way is to burn the guy in effigy. Anyone can do it, just be sure to call the media. No law enforcement activity is required. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/36 "2005-06-24T15:00:05Z")
Similarly – why don’t we burn more people in effigy? Why do I only see that happening in foreign countries? I would really love to burn an effigy of GW Bush with a stupid look on his face. I’d wave it around, yell and stamp on it. It would be great! ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/37 "2005-06-24T15:24:50Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > We have no plans to burn flags. We plan to write to our sentors, and attend protest rallies. No flag burning involved. The question is,what should we do when the law is passed… Unless I just missed something (_what was that sound?_), lots of folks in this thread plan to burn flags if the amendment passes. Or is my reading comprehension impaired too? ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/38 "2005-06-24T15:36:42Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > My understanding is that the proposed amendment only criminalizes burning a flag if it is done to make a political statement. If you burn a flag to dispose of it or if you burn one incidental to setting a schoolhouse on fire, the Constitution will be cool with that. Just an FYI: As mentioned in my post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6290615&postcount=54) , the proposed amendment doesn’t specify ANYTHING other than the fact that it will authorize Congress to “prohibit physical desecration” of the flag. That’s it. No conditions, situations, free passes…nuthin’. Just that they can prohibit it (by passing a law against it.) If the amendment passes (which I REALLY don’t think it will) then the law Congress writes will have to be VERY specific about what constitutes “physical desecration”. But the proposed amendment is not specific AT ALL. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/39 "2005-06-24T15:53:26Z")
> [@RTA](#): > > Then, people associated with a certain political party can label those people as being “pro-flag-burning” when election season rolls around next year. You’d think the other side could call them “anti-free-speech” and in an ideal world (OK, _my_ ideal world) that would be a far more serious allegation than “pro-flag-burning”. It’s unfortunate though, that not everyone understands that the whole point of “free speech” is to protect the most offensive forms of speech. That may mean Larry Flint’s publications and flag burning. Popular speech never needs protection. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558/40 "2005-06-24T16:07:30Z")
I think if the amendment passes, protestors should take to burning the Constitution instead. Daniel [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-burn-the-flag-in-protest/309558.md?page=3)