Flag burning -- yes or no?

[borealiss]

i hate the idea of burning the flag. but freedom of expression is one of the foundations that this nation was built upon. flag-burner or not, everyone has this right. (freedom of speech)

 

[AndrewR]

<< we Allow the KKK to march around denouncing anything &quot;other than&quot; >>



Like hell we do. The freedom of speech definitely does not apply to THAT end of the spectrum. If you doubt that, then you might want to look at what the Southern Poverty Law Center has done in silencing (yes, SILENCING) hate groups through civil court actions. If you will support an end to their practices, such as recently happened in Idaho with The Aryan Nations, then I won't call you a hypocrite. Otherwise, please don't prattle on about how we allow anyone to say anything -- it's not true. Freedom of speech is far from absolute in this country.

BTW, before someone starts denouncing me as a racist, I don't agree with their positions, but they have less right to express their opinions than others -- particularly someone such as Farrakhan.

 

[Shuxclams]

The SPLC or any other group that can succsefully prove in court that a group is/are a potential threat in real terms get my full support for the one cause, I agree with the ACLU on occasion, the NAACP and I too have seen Farrakahn speak at UCLA, but not always or everything. I am for absoloute rights for the individual, that includes Guns, Privacy, Censorship, Religion and Speech, Even at the risk of looking as if I support some fairly &quot;whack&quot; organizations. This Moralistic and Nationalistic rhetoric scares the fvck out of me, we are slowly turning into a third world country run be religious zeolots like IRAN and other assbackwards countries. :| Its about allowing the voice of the rebel to always be heard.

&quot;God forbide we go 20 years without rebellion - Thomas Jefferson&quot; Who the hell are you to decide what kind of thoughts and actions are &quot;wrong&quot;.



SHUX

 

[Moonbeam]

I listened to hate radio today. The stinking flag burning republicans were talking about a national day of hanging the flag upside down to protest the Gore theft. I wanted to kick their a$$es. Why don't they pack their bags and get out of the this country. They piss on everything the country stands for.

 

[AndrewR]

Shux: Give me a fscking break. The recent decision with The Aryan Nations was bullsh|t, plain and simple. The intent of Morris Dees was to bankrupt the organization to silence them -- he stated that in court. His goal in arguing that case had NOTHING to do with the two plaintiffs and their supposed injuries and everything to do with his aim of silencing his &quot;enemies&quot;. The plaintiffs were used by him, that's it.

Moonbeam: Partisan rhetoric and a very stupid thing to say on their part. I would suspect that it was an isolated opinion, however.

Red: The last time I mentioned the The Aryan Nations case from a freedom of speech perspective, I was accused of being a racist -- I was trying to preempt that.

 

[BoberFett]

Whew, got back from a weekend away to find this dead horse getting a severe whipping.

<< The freedom of speech definitely does not apply to THAT end of the spectrum >>

Ummmm, WTF? So now only certain political speech is protected? You'd better hope that those who agree with you stay in power, or you're in for some hard times pal. Unless everyone has freedom of speech, then nobody has freedom of speech.

 

[rahvin]

<<Shux: Give me a fscking break. The recent decision with The Aryan Nations was bullsh|t, plain and simple. The intent of Morris Dees was to bankrupt the organization to silence them -- he stated that in court. His goal in arguing that case had NOTHING to do with the two plaintiffs and their supposed injuries and everything to do with his aim of silencing his &quot;enemies&quot;. The plaintiffs were used by him, that's it.>>

Yes, that is the lawyers agenda. That doesn't change the fact that a tort action was commited. The sothern poverty law center has found an acceptable avenue of legal attack against hate organizations. Tort law. If the guards hadn't assaulted those people he wouldn't have had this avenue of attack open. Motives for suit are irrelevant in tort actions, quit claiming it has anything to do with free speech being limited.

 

[skywhr]

flag burning is wrong, and no i am not in the military

As a great Marine once said &quot;LEAVE THE FLAG ALONE!!! OR LEAVE MY COUNTRY!!! , UhRah!!!!&quot;

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

ass kicking ass kicking ass kicking. That's what they would get from me. No questions. And besides, Red, you can't make an example out of someone if no one else knows about what happened.

 

[mastertech01]

Being a Veteran of foreign wars and a 15 year military veteran I can assure you that you may have the right to burn the flag..I will not take any mans rights away...but if I ever see you disgrace it in person by burning it in an attempt to bring dishonor to it.. I would B1tch slap you to death.. :|

Darn gotta miss all the fun..back to work..

 

[Frenchie]

mastertech01: my sentiments exactly. Only time the flag should be burned is if you are properly disposing of a damaged/worn flag.

 

[BoberFett]

So I guess speech is only free when what's being said is popular. Very sad.

 

[fdiskboy]

But historically correct.

 

[Moonbeam]

You got it Bober, the deluded worship the symbol claiming it's glory for his own. Only the mind dedicated to truth sees beyond symbol to weigh the value of the truth represented. Were it not for this the swastica would have no adherents. Look deep and you will see that the a$$ kicking isn't about defending the flag, it's about defending the false ego, stripped of its symbol, from feeling its hidden sense of worthlessness. It is very sad, sad that we do not know and believe that we are all OK. In an unseen world, every man and woman is a blazing flag of glory.

 

[desy]

Jumps in .. .
Yep and everybody wonders why all the wars exist in the middle east or elswhere? A lot of the same over emphasized BS on symbols or culture and not enough tolerance in this world.
I will take your life if you burn my symbol
:frown:
Its this narrow band of zealotness that has perpetuated most of the wars of the world. I was watching the histroy channel and some English noble started a war that killed 30,000 people to satisfy simplyhis ego. Wars are fought by children ordered by others who don't bother spilling a drop of blood to hold up ideals.

 

[BoberFett]

Moonbeam

Well said, ya crazy pinko.