Let's Burn Some More Flags
- Fred
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
This from CBS News yesterday: "President Trump signed an executive order Monday that seeks to punish people who burn the American flag, accusing those who do so of displaying hostility and contempt toward the United States."
Free Speech absolutists have howled that the Administration got it wrong. No, Trump is right in this case, burning the American Flag in incendiary.
What's our angle on flag burning? Either you burn all the flags, or no flags.
Let me clarify.
Let's say I hated my neighbor, hated him with all my heart. What's to stop me from taking his picture, printing it on a flag, and then burning said flag?
If I did such a thing, I would be charged with harassment or criminal threat. It wouldn't matter if my neighbor deserved such scorn, the law would protect him. The law wouldn't protect my "speech."
Let's say my neighbor was gay, gay as the day is long. What would happen if I burned a rainbow flag? If it's my neighbor's rainbow flag, I'm going to jail. If it's MY flag, then I'm just a jerk.
Many websites claim that as long as you buy the flag yourself, you can burn it. I'm not so sure about that. Even though the federal courts supposedly support "free expression," local or state entities could still charge you with arson or disturbing the peace, even if it is your own flag.
How about if I hated Iran? I've hated them since they took those hostages way back in 1979. Yes, I can burn their flag. What if I hated Israel? Ahhhh, I CANNOT burn their flag.
What's the difference? Supposedly you can burn national flags, but not racial flags. The courts have interpreted the Israeli Flag as signifying race. Well then what's a racial flag?
Now I don't want to burn specifically the Israeli Flag, but now we're really getting pinned into some real legal gray areas.
I WANT TO BURN ALL THE FLAGS.
From our article Let's Burn Some Flags in 2019: "We are huge proponents of Free Speech, but Flag Burning isn't speech, it is an ACTION."
So if I'm in my own home, I can burn all the flags I want, right?
What happens if I burn all the flags I want, but upload it to Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube?