In a typical Times editorial, the paper is taking the position that a Constitutional amendment would be, well, unconstitutional.
With the Fourth of July fast approaching, Senate Republicans are holding a barbecue. Unfortunately, instead of grilling hot dogs and hamburgers, they are trying to torch a hole in the First Amendment's free speech guarantee by passing an amendment to the Constitution that would allow federal and state authorities to punish flag-burning.
Some things should be out of bounds even in a competitive election year. Messing with the Constitution is one of them.
It is against the law to kill a bald eagle, which, besides being endangered, is a national icon. If the Times can claim that burning a Flag is protected Free Speech, why couldn't I claim that I should be able to shoot a bald eagle as Free Speech (not that I would, mind you)?
Or, burn the New York Times building as a protest against their anti-American articles? Isn't that Free Speech? Or just a violent action, designed to make one feel better, but harm and offend others in the process?
I'll tell you what, Libs: if you allow me my Right to beat the ever-lovin'-shit out of someone caught burning the Flag, I'll leave you your Right to burn one of our national symbols. Sound fair? No? You won't allow that? Because beating the crap out of a flag burner is an action, not speech? Much like burning something, eh?
And the Times is correct: some things should be out of bounds during an election year. Like publishing hit pieces on the sitting president in 2004, and releasing classified information. Well, actually, that should be out of bounds at all times.
Finally, the Times has obviously failed to read the Consitution. If something is passed as an Amendment, then it cannot be un-Constitutional. Period. Wouldn't it be free speech to stop people from voting? I'm glad they passed several Amendments to stop that Right (sic). Or how about the Right to own property? Was it a denial of that Right when they passed the XIIIth Amendment?
As a sidebar, the 13th Amendment is actually rather strange. It says that people can be made slaves or involuntary servents as punishment for a crime. I wonder if that would include suing the Times for the crime of releasing secret information?
Stop The ACLU on the Senate debate
Very good post. When I heard the uproar opposing the amendment, my mind went back to last year when a group of American radicalized Muslims produced a video that showed its members on a New York City street corner declaring Islam’s dominance over America as they tread on a U.S. flag and then ripped it apart. ( http://www.intelligencesummit.org/news/GW1.php )
Whether a group or individuals desecrate a U.S. flag in street demonstrations by ripping, stomping, or burning should it be allowed as a freedom of speech? Are we being destroyed from within or is it all in good sport of our freedoms?
In the video, released by the New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society, ( http://www.islamicthinkers.com/ ) one of the Muslims is shown placing a sign on the flag that says, “Oh Muslims! Do you know your enemy? Isn’t it obvious?”
The group, tied to the British jihadist organization Al-Muhajiroun, said the demonstration was “in response to the desecration of the holy Quran by the Crusaders & Zionists at Guantanamo Bay,” an allegation based on a retracted Newsweek story. ( http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44300 )
For sure, the enemies of the United States would not allow the freedoms that our country enjoys. For more on the desecration story out of New York City last year, please visit: http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44664
Respectfully,
Bosun
Flag Burning…
William at Pirate’s Cove writes about a NY Times Editorial about a proposed ammendment that would ban burning the American Flag.
First, a few points about his position:
Or, burn the New York Times building as a protest against their anti-American…