Do you consider the burning of the American Flag to be an attack on ALL AMERICANS?

[rhino 0]

Dumb fucking question isn't it. Stone age dumb. Idiotic. Childish.. Pathetic and judgemental.

About as dumb as hating all Americans for some jackass POSSIBLY flushing the Quran down the toilet.

Rhino

[Lindsey 0]

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Dumb fucking question isn't it. Stone age dumb. Idiotic. Childish.. Pathetic and judgemental.

About as dumb as hating all Americans for some jackass POSSIBLY flushing the Quran down the toilet.

Rhino

All flag-burnings are probably not equal. It could symbolize an "attack" on all Americans. It may just be a statement against our way of life. It could be a statement against our government's actions in/against another country. But I don't consider the burning of the American flag to be, across the board, an attack against all Americans.

Peace~
linz

[rehmwa 2]

Not at all. It's an attack on a single flag. Symbolic gestures are stupid and impotent. Burning a flag or flushing a religious book is waste of good fire and water and shouldn't be given any attention. Except in forums with opinionated people to discuss.

But when done as a "symbolic gesture" it's about as effective and childish as a tantrum. But taking offense at it is a waste of energy and just encourages the child.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Darius11 12]

Ok this is crazy.

I think it is disrespectful. You guys are saying no it's cool?
Am I in twilight zone today?

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[rhino 0]

Wow.. Logic.. Let's package that shit up and send it to the Middle East and to Washington DC!!

[kelel01 1]

It would depend on who did it. Of course, I won't get all bent out of shape regardless, but sometimes Americans burn American flags in protest, and I don't see it as an attack on all Americans.

If a foreigner does it, though, I might.

Again, it's disrespectful, but I really wouldn't care. I also won't consider people who do care stupid, though. Some people feel very strongly about their country and/or religion.

[rehmwa 2]

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Ok this is crazy.

I think it is disrespectful. You guys are saying no it's cool?
Am I in twilight zone today?

It is disrespectful. And it's not cool. But if you are the twilight zone, take some pics and post them.

But it's also an impotent gesture and rather pathetic. It's the equivalent of a tantrum and not worth our time. {{Except here of course where we talk about anything}}

I guess I'd rather the babies burn a flag or something than bottle it up and end up stabbing someone.

Again, it's invoking an emotional response rather than reason. And we don't want to be ruled by emotion. That leads to nothing.

Edit: Er, I don't mean "bottle up" the flag, but 'bottle up' their tantrum-like emotions. Just for those not familiar with the term. I'm not sure of the emotional impact of "flag bottling". Maybe it's a new way to market the things - the all new "Flag in a Bottle" is decorative and super absorbant.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rhino 0]

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You guys are saying no it's cool?

Not saying it's cool... No one said that..

[freefalle 0]

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Ok this is crazy.

I think it is disrespectful. You guys are saying no it's cool?
Am I in twilight zone today?

I don't normally post here, but I so feel inclined on this topic.

I don't feel its right for anyone to burn an American flag, not here in the US, not overseas. I feel its disrespectful to our country but even moreso its disrespectful to the men and women who have carried that flag into battle and died while fighting for the country it represents.

However, one of the things I love about our country, is our God given and constiutionally protected right to free speech. That being said, regardless of weather I like it or not, the people who burn flags, have or should have as much right to express their free speach as someone who stands on a picket line protesting a government decision.

If you believe in what our country stands' for i.e. the bill of rights and the constitution, regardless of weather you like the fact that some ass hat is burning the flag of our country you have to respect there right to do so.


thats all I have to say about that.

{paraphrase} The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make some other poor bastard die for his. {paraphrase}

[SpeedRacer 1]

I basically agree with what Lindsey said.

But I still think people who do it are a$$holes. I would never do it to another country's flag, regardless of what conflict we might be in with them. I don't hate an entire country. I think there's something f&*ked up with people who do (the whole "Death to America!!" thing. doesn't make any sense, how can you kill an entire country?? or how can you want EVERYONE in a country to die??)

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[steve1 5]

I'm not an ultra right-wing, or flag waving kind of guy, but I still have tons of respect for those who have fought and died for our country. To me that is what our flag represents. In my book, burning the American Flag is a really low life thing, that only a slime ball could do. I don't care when or where it's entirely wrong.....Steve1

[namgrunt 0]

yes it is am insult

your right ends when you enter my space

hooah

..

59 YEARS,OVERWEIGHT,BALDIND,X-GRUNT
LAST MIL. JUMP VIET-NAM(QUAN-TRI)
www.dzmemories.com

[dorbie 0]

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Dumb fucking question isn't it.

Nah, it's pure entertainment, especially when they can't even make a flag that looks right. Anything with a bit of pink white & blue seems to suffice.

But spare a thought for the poor and downtrodden, being a radical flag^H^H^H^H^Hcrayoned paper tube burning activist is not without risks:

http://www.factsofisrael.com/blog/archives/000636.html

Dunno about you but my heart bleeds. I would shed a tear for her family, but it appears that's where she got her severe dysfunction from:

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0315-21.htm
http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/56104/index.php

[jdhill 0]

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You guys are saying no it's cool?

I don't think anyone is saying its cool... just as it is not cool to flush a holy book (if it even happened)...

I think the point is that when some dumbass burns the flag, even the "believers" shake it off, something that it appears other "believers" aren't so able to do with other symbols.

J

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

[wmw999 2,537]

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that it appears other "believers" aren't so able to do with other symbols

I'm sure there are people who would kick someone's ass for burning the flag. They don't have the ears of the worldwide press. But there are clerics in the US who advocate death to gays.

I know my son was harrassed by the mall police for having a cap with an upside-down flag on it (i.e. sat down, patted down, restrained, etc with no offenses other than the flag). This was awhile ago. Consensus from my family was one for "I'd've kicked his ass if I'd seen it" and a couple for "well, it was an overreaction, but better to learn it at 15."

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[billvon 3,071]

>About as dumb . . . .

You calling yourself dumb, there? You once said you considered flag burning an attack against "your" country. If I recall correctly, you then said you would beat the crap out of anyone who did it. Looks like there are some muslims who believe as strongly as you do.

[JohnRich 4]

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I know my son was harrassed by the mall police for having a cap with an upside-down flag on it (i.e. sat down, patted down, restrained, etc with no offenses other than the flag).

Well that is ironic. An upside-down flag symbolizes a nation in peril, i.e. our liberties in jeopardy. And the reaction of those mall police kind of went right along with confirming that symbolization. Sheesh!

[Tink1717 2]

Only if you can't separate the symbol of the thing from the thing itself could you logically consider it a slight. I don't care if anyone, for any reason, burns the flag. It is only when they try to attack America itself that I get upset.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[jdhill 0]

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I know my son was harrassed by the mall police for having a cap with an upside-down flag on it

That's mall police for ya...

I once helped out on demo ground crew at the Westheimer Street Festival (in Houston)... it was a year that the city would not let the festival take place on the street that's in its name (Westheimer), it was on Allen Parkway that year... the organizers were not very happy about the whole thing...

Anyway, the demo starts and the guy jumping the huge 200+ s.f. American flag deploys it, and it is rigged upside-down... for several minutes as the upside-down flag flys above the festival, people are a little upset, to include the organizer of the event... he want't to know WTF... so I calmly told him that the flag was upside-down in protest of the festival being bumped from its traditional location... he loved it, told a few folks and thing simmered down...

Everyone seemed to understand this form of protest... even when it was a huge error by the demo jumper

J

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

[rhino 0]

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anyone

AnyONE is correct.. I won't declare a tampon war against their whole race for gods sake..

That's correct. Burn a flag in my presence and your "anyones" right to free speech ends at least temporarily. When I'm in cuffs and when "said named person wakes up" he can start blabbing again..

In 6 months when his jaw functions again..

If I flush a Quran down the toilet in front of a Muslim I would expect him to try and whip my ass.

Rhino

[billvon 3,071]

>That's correct. Burn a flag in my presence and your "anyones" right
>to free speech ends at least temporarily.

So you would try to hurt them. Looks like a lot of people out there share your desire to hurt people when insulted in such a way; they just have poorer aim than you do.

[rhino 0]

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So you would try to hurt them.

I wouldn't try.. I would just do it..

Instead I avoid those situations to begin with. Preventive maintenance.

If we are at the wffc, and some asshat decides to lite up a flag in front of me he's going down.

I'm not going to recruit 20 shitheads and fly airliners into office buildings in his country. Huge difference here Bill.

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they just have poorer aim than you do.

lol

[GTAVercetti 0]

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Dumb fucking question isn't it. Stone age dumb. Idiotic. Childish.. Pathetic and judgemental.

About as dumb as hating all Americans for some jackass POSSIBLY flushing the Quran down the toilet.

Rhino

I could not care less if someone burns a flag. A flag is not a country.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[EBSB52 0]

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I'm not an ultra right-wing, or flag waving kind of guy, but I still have tons of respect for those who have fought and died for our country. To me that is what our flag represents. In my book, burning the American Flag is a really low life thing, that only a slime ball could do. I don't care when or where it's entirely wrong.....Steve1

And that's why "they" do it - it pisses off guys like you. Nothing wrong with guys like you, just that you are sensitive to it and they know it - so they do it.

It is wholly just a silly symbol. With that I mean the flag as well as falg burning. The flag represents 50 states and the original 13 colonies. To burn it means nothing. To bear it means nothing. I would rather spend my time trying to improve the elements that make it what it is than to try to save fabric.

As for flag burning, isn't it covered by the 1st via expression? I would never own or burn a flag, but I support the right to do either or both.

[EBSB52 0]

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yes it is am insult

your right ends when you enter my space

hooah

..

So no one has the right to burn a flag in your space - agreed. What if a person burns a flag in their own space or public space (with a permit and obedience to all safety statutes); do you have the right to be offended?