Teen Spends 9 Days in Jail for Burning Flag

[chutem 0]

If it came from walmart it was probably made in Korea/Tiawan/China anyway. Most likely there are more foreign made US flags sold in the US than US made US flags. Something to think about.
James

[GTAVercetti 0]

Anyone know what the recommended way to dispose of an old flag is?

Burn it.

Please see: http://www.bcpl.net/~etowner/flagcode.html

Section 4. part k.

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

[JohnRich 4]

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Anyone know what the recommended way to dispose of an old flag is? Burn it.

I think the context of the burning means something.

And it wasn't his flag to burn - it belonged to someone else. That made it theft, vandalism, and destruction of property.

[GTAVercetti 0]

Not arguing with that. Theft and the like are good reasons for jailing. However, the title of the post focuses solely on flag burning so that is what I am talking about..
To me it just seems like some people think that if we stop flag burning then suddenly the reason FOR that flag burning is going to disappear too. Well it won't. On a whole I think people put far too much stock in smybols instead of focusing on irradicating the underlying problems.

Saying that someone cannot burn a flag is like closing your shades because the house across the street is being robbed. It may take it out of sight and mind, but it doesn't stop the real issue.

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

[rehmwa 2]

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Theft and the like are good reasons for jailing.

To me it just seems like some people think that if we stop flag burning then suddenly the reason FOR that flag burning is going to disappear too.

Two nicely put statements - 'symbolic' laws are a waste of time.

Still, the teen sounds like a little shit - if you know what I mean.

...
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

[waltappel 1]

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Still, the teen sounds like a little shit - if you know what I mean.

Nice one!

Walt

[rhino 0]

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the reason FOR that flag burning is going to disappear too.

The ONLY acceptable reason to burn an American flag is to dispose of an old, ragged flag. Nothing else is acceptable.

[GTAVercetti 0]

you really should put an "in my opinion" on there because otherwise I could be incline to believe you are telling me what is acceptable to me.

rehmwa - thanks for the compliment. And yes, he seems like a little bastard.

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

[JohnRich 4]

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I think the context of the burning means something.

This seems like a good place to insert a story of mine, about a flag-decommissioning ceremony I ran across on a camping trip through New Mexico. The accompanying photos are small in size and will only take seconds to load.

* * *

After visiting three old Spanish missions in one day, I hunkered down for the night at a mountain campground called Manzano State Park. It was a Saturday night, and I seemed to have snatched the last available campsite. As darkness fell, a park ranger passed the word around all the campers that there would be a flag decommissioning ceremony performed by Girl Scouts, at the group campground, in a half hour.

I have never seen this ceremony before, and it was boring sitting around reading, so I wandered over, along with several dozen other campers. It turns out, there weren’t any kiddie Girl Scouts around, but rather, a bunch of Girl Scout Mom’s, in training to be Troop Leaders.

(Photo 1) Here you have two Scouts holding up one of the two flags to be decommissioned, by burning it. A chorus of “God Bless America” was sung, and I realized I have forgotten some of the words to that song. Shame on me.

(Photo 2) The next step is to cut each of the 13 stripes off of the flags, one at a time, and hand them out to members of the viewing audience. I got a white one.

(Photo 3) They keep doing that until all 13 stripes from each flag have been distributed, and only the blue star-field remains, which was retained by the Scouts.

(Photo 4) Then the leader starts calling out the names of the original 13 states, which the stripes represent, one at a time, and asks someone holding a stripe to step forward to represent that state. They went through this twice, since there were two flags. As you step forward, you have an opportunity to say something before the audience, and then place your stripe in the fire.

I stepped forward for Virginia, where I grew up, and getting all choked up, said some words about (personal info removed) and his sacrifice for our country, and dedicated my stripe to him, as I placed it on the fire. Other speeches were similar, and I was amazed at how many people from this random selection of 26 campers had either served their country in the military, or had sons and daughters who are currently serving. It was quite a patriotic moment, and there were many wet eyes around the campfire, including mine. I don’t think anyone had a clue when this started it would turn out so emotional like this.

After all the stripes had been burned, the blue star-fields were brought over and the same done for them, by the Girl Scout leaders.

[chutem 0]

Now that's the way it should be done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for shareing that experience with us.
James

[apley 0]

passing laws against symbolism is a ridiculous waste of money. so is paying george bush for being an international criminal.

i would not personally burn a flag, but don't really care if someone else does. i am also a veteran, but the flag means nothing more to me than the office of the current president of the religious righteous united states.

at this moment in time, i am ashamed to be american. it is the same shame i felt during the vietnam war. i will perservere, however, because apparently, 49% of us still vote with a social conscience and not with our wallets.

that kid was a little shit. but he did nothing worth 8 days in jail.

there's my 4c worth