Burning the flag is wrong in my opinion, however, Ben Bartee made a valid point today on X and in a Substack article that: "If you have to explain to a right-winger who's been complaining about leftist censorship for the last five years why flag-burning is protected speech, understand this:
The great challenge in all debates over Free Speech is defending that speech which is most offensive.
Burning the American flag is several levels beyond offensive. Burning any nation's flag is simply an attempt to be insulting to that nation and that people, and as I am an American I am particularly outraged at burning the American flag. It should not be done.
However, if people are protesting withal peaceably, then that their message and medium are offensive simply cannot stand as reasons to bar the protest. There must be a more substantial reason than that, or else we don't have Free Speech, but licensed speech.
I want the former, and will suffer a burned American flag or two to get it.
The Supreme Court errs when it bastardizes the language.
Twisting the First Amendment to encompass burning the country’s flag is a perfect example.
Flag burning should be punished by revocation of citizenship and immediate deportation.
We have millions of people who want to, and in some cases are literally dying to, be citizens of this country. Anyone who feels so strongly negative about it as to burn its flag ought to make room for them and should not enjoy the rights, privileges, and benefits of citizenship.
The Supreme Court frequently does err. Texas v Johnson was not one of those times.
If a person burning any flag results in violence, yes, charge them with incitement and breaching the public peace. If no violence ensues and people are merely offended, there is no criminal act to prosecute.
I believe it should be considered a civic crime to burn the flag, the symbol of our country that so many have fought and died for.
In my view, this act is not a form of speech. While we Americans have the freedom to express our opinions, burning the flag is an act of vandalism against our national symbol, which makes it fundamentally different.
There are many other ways to express one's opinion. As far as I'm concerned, you cannot be a true citizen and burn our flag at the same time.
Therefore, I not only support Trump's executive order but also advocate for an amendment to the Constitution and subsequent legislation to make my proposed remedy law: the revocation of citizenship and immediate deportation for flag burners.
It will be interesting to see how Democrats defend flag burners, alongside the other criminals they seem focused on representing. We can also expect an increase in performative flag burnings from those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, which the media will likely sensationalize. I can easily envision MSNBC anchors igniting the flag as a daily opening to their shows.
I will say this much: this country is long overdue for a long and thoughtful public debate on what it means to protect Free Speech and how that determines whether we live in a Free Society.
I always admire you for taking the difficult, but correct, stance, Peter.
Several of our Founding Fathers wrote about this confounding matter of free speech vs morally wrong action. Their conclusions were that society must have an underpinning of ethics, morals, and compassion. We should not WANT to incite riots or do any harm when we are exercising our right of freedom of speech. The root solution lies in being a moral society - and we have not been making any progress in this area during my lifetime. This is my root issue with the Left: you’re making our civilization less civilized- stop it!
Please keep standing up for principles, Peter. It’s important, and you are wonderful at this!
Burning the flag is wrong in my opinion, however, Ben Bartee made a valid point today on X and in a Substack article that: "If you have to explain to a right-winger who's been complaining about leftist censorship for the last five years why flag-burning is protected speech, understand this:
They never believed in free speech in the first place." - https://x.com/ArmageddonProse/status/1960302823922381221
and Substack article -
( https://armageddonprose.substack.com/p/trump-flag-burning-ban-unconstitutional )
Linking your take as usual, Peter @https://nothingnewunderthesun2016.com/
The great challenge in all debates over Free Speech is defending that speech which is most offensive.
Burning the American flag is several levels beyond offensive. Burning any nation's flag is simply an attempt to be insulting to that nation and that people, and as I am an American I am particularly outraged at burning the American flag. It should not be done.
However, if people are protesting withal peaceably, then that their message and medium are offensive simply cannot stand as reasons to bar the protest. There must be a more substantial reason than that, or else we don't have Free Speech, but licensed speech.
I want the former, and will suffer a burned American flag or two to get it.
The Supreme Court errs when it bastardizes the language.
Twisting the First Amendment to encompass burning the country’s flag is a perfect example.
Flag burning should be punished by revocation of citizenship and immediate deportation.
We have millions of people who want to, and in some cases are literally dying to, be citizens of this country. Anyone who feels so strongly negative about it as to burn its flag ought to make room for them and should not enjoy the rights, privileges, and benefits of citizenship.
The Supreme Court frequently does err. Texas v Johnson was not one of those times.
If a person burning any flag results in violence, yes, charge them with incitement and breaching the public peace. If no violence ensues and people are merely offended, there is no criminal act to prosecute.
This is the Constitutional order of things.
It is not a crime to be offensive.
I believe it should be considered a civic crime to burn the flag, the symbol of our country that so many have fought and died for.
In my view, this act is not a form of speech. While we Americans have the freedom to express our opinions, burning the flag is an act of vandalism against our national symbol, which makes it fundamentally different.
There are many other ways to express one's opinion. As far as I'm concerned, you cannot be a true citizen and burn our flag at the same time.
Therefore, I not only support Trump's executive order but also advocate for an amendment to the Constitution and subsequent legislation to make my proposed remedy law: the revocation of citizenship and immediate deportation for flag burners.
It will be interesting to see how Democrats defend flag burners, alongside the other criminals they seem focused on representing. We can also expect an increase in performative flag burnings from those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, which the media will likely sensationalize. I can easily envision MSNBC anchors igniting the flag as a daily opening to their shows.
To do as you have stated would require a Constitutional Amendment.
Absent such an amendment, there is no Constitutional foundation for Trump's Executive Order.
The Court will decide. However, in my view, it should serve as a catalyst for the course I suggest.
It may.
I will say this much: this country is long overdue for a long and thoughtful public debate on what it means to protect Free Speech and how that determines whether we live in a Free Society.
I always admire you for taking the difficult, but correct, stance, Peter.
Several of our Founding Fathers wrote about this confounding matter of free speech vs morally wrong action. Their conclusions were that society must have an underpinning of ethics, morals, and compassion. We should not WANT to incite riots or do any harm when we are exercising our right of freedom of speech. The root solution lies in being a moral society - and we have not been making any progress in this area during my lifetime. This is my root issue with the Left: you’re making our civilization less civilized- stop it!
Please keep standing up for principles, Peter. It’s important, and you are wonderful at this!
Nonsense. You blame the victim.