Burning Ol’ Glory
June 29th, 2006 at 10:15 am by Mark
Tags: flag, history, law, media, politics
Media has reported over and over that the Flag Protection Amendment passed by the House and faces an “uphill battle in the Senate.” They’ve claimed that this bill seeks to amend the Constitution and ban the burning of the US Flag.
This is yet another load of horse-puckey by a media who are too stupid and lazy to investigate facts or give fair and balanced opinion about anything.
Senate Joint Resolution 12 is a very simple, seventeen word statement:
The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.
This amendment only gets rid of the Constitutional hurdle which has prevented Congress from passing anti-Flag Burning legislation before. It doesn’t make anything illegal.
Senators and Legislators who have come on Television decrying the Resolution simply have not read it.
There is also a widespread belief that this is a Republican supported bill, which also cannot be further from the truth. As it stands, it is a purely bipartisan measure, with as many people decrying it on either side of the political fence.
Basically what we’ve ended up with is yet another bullshit stall tactic, where Congress is attempting to give itself a little more power, and wasting a lot of money and air time, when they’re not actually doing anything. They’ve just secured their seats, and given themselves the power to debate another hot-button issue, which will most assuredly fail over and over again anyway.
Swanky pointed out two polarized views about the flag. Some people see it as a symbol of our Freedom and Democracy. Others see it as reminder of the people who died to protect our Freedom and Democracy. It’s both: Thirteen stripes representing the original colonies, alternating White for our innocence and purity and Red for the blood of those fought defending it, and a field of Blue with Stars to represent our fifty states in a night-time constellation. I don’t foresee myself ever burning a flag. But it’s good to live in a country that would allow me to do it.
But… all this talk about Flag Burning is secondary to the real issue.
This is a test case, where Congress is attempting to remove a legal barrier mandated by the Supreme Court and see if anyone will notice. If successful, it opens the door for them to do it a few more times for good measure!
Thus, I am firmly against the Resolution. I’m firmly against Congress dictating its own power, and have nothing but contempt when they attempt to pass legislation for no other reason than to give themselves more things to do in the future. It’s a waste of time and money that could be better spent fixing things that are actually wrong.
June 29th, 2006 at 10:25 am
Though the bill does not make it illegal, it does take it out of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court who has said it is a First Amendment right. In other words, it allows Congress to make it illegal. You are quite right. Congress does not like the constitution or the Judicial Branch telling them what to do. They think they can usurp this power through their legislation. Hell, while they are at it, they should vote to take all power from the Supreme Court and maybe the President too while they are at it!
June 29th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
I hadn’t stopped to consider the full impact of the situation. The problem in this country is that the judicial system is trying to legislate and congress is trying to remove its checks and balances. Both branches of government essentially trying to be top dawg. All this while the president just does whatever he pleases. It’s too bad that our nation has forgotten that its citizens are the Sovereigns and the only power the government has is what is delegated by us to the States and then via that power what the States have delegated to the Feds.
It is true that you are a slave to whom you obey, and when you chose to leave power unchecked you are enslaving yourself to it. This may be a “minor” issue, but I agree that this will only leave room for more of these opportunities.