flag burning

Flag burning needs to be illegal. Burning the flag is simply unpatriotic. A loyal american would protect the flag, not destroy it. The flag is the national symbol of our country.

I quote Patrick Henry (A man I am sure who isn't "simply unpatriotic") when he says "I'd rather see someone wrapped in the constitution burning the flag, than someone wrapped in the flag burning the constitution."

Our freedom of speech, along with many others guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, is an inalienable and natural rights. This freedom allows us, as American citizens and human beings, to be against the leadership of our nation and the course it is going, which a vast amount of Americans agree with. You say a "loyal american" would protect our flag, not destroy it, but than would you call someone who feels, as I do, that George W. Bush was probably one of the most awful men to grace the Oval Office a disloyal american? Would you call someone who felt that Ronald Reagan, the darling of the Neocons, implemented some of the most awful domestic and foreign policies to date, a traitor? I feel that people who do this are mostly in fact the opposite, and that much more loyal to our great nation, as instead of blindly following the leadership, they wish to see our nation become better, and be that much greater in the eyes of other nations and her own citizens. Now, to bring this back to flag burning. Yes, I feel that the flag is a representation of our nation, and is a very patriotic symbol. However, I much more strongly believe in the Constitution, and how our forefathers fought long and hard for our rights, and to have flag burning be illegal would be, to quote Sylvester the Cat, "despicable".
P.S. Next time, you may want to PRO "flag burning" if you are arguing for it.
P.P.S. While Frank Gore is very talented, I feel that Walter Payton is "de best"

i said pro for burning the flag. that would mean i was for it. next, if you disagree with the nation, that is your opinion. however, you should not burn our nations symbol. the right to free speech is garunteed by the constitution. however, burning a flag has nothing to do with speech. like i said, freedom of speech would be disagreeing with our nation and our current and past presidents. i agree with you that the frameres worked long and hard on the constitution, and it should be strongly believed in. i still believe that does not give people the right to burn the american flag.

So, in essence, you're agreeing with me on most things, but just feel that burning the flag is not technically "speech", and is therefore not protected by the Constitution. However, I feel that is one of the things that the forefathers meant to protect. A problem commonly occurring in the colonies and in Mother England was the issue of treason. When people would say negative things against the leaders, they would be banished, best case scenario. Most were publicly humiliated, and the hung. The forefathers wanted to prevent this at all costs, and with the exception of maybe the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Patriot Act (which should be abolished, but is a different debate entirely), have succeeded. And while burning the flag is not technically "speech", I feel you are taking this out of context, and that the framers of the Constitution just wanted people to be able to say whatever they wished, as long as it didn't infringe on others lives and liberties. I feel that flag burning does entail speech in this case, as frustrated citizens are saying what they believe against the government in the form of burning a flag, solely a "symbol" as you put it. In addition, I feel that our citizens can do whatever they wish, as long as it doesn't infringe on ther's "lives, liberties, and pursuits of happiness." However, I recognize this may be a adical and libertarian argument, so I can stick with my previous one, which pretty much says that flag burning is a form of speech, and is therefore protected under the Constitution.

Yet again, I agree people should be able to say whatever they want. I just don't believe the freedom of speech includes burning the flag. The burning of a flag does not entail speech. If you disagree with the government or the U.S. I believe you should feel free to say it. Just don't take it out on the U.S. flag itself. The framers wanted the people to be able to say whatever they wished, and that is a great thing that is still in tact today. I personally believe it is unpatriotic to burn the U.S. flag.

Ok, so this debate has become centered around whether or not flag burning is "speech" or not, which would have it protected or not by the 1st Amendment. You feel that it isn't technically speech, so it can;t be free speech and be protected under the Bill of Rights. However, I feel that it is an opinion that is shown through peaceful measure, which does, in fact entail speech by our laws, regardless of how it is expressed. In addition, I feel that if legislative measures would be taken against flag burning, it would just snowball into more and more laws harming our personal rights, more governmental control, and more violations of our inalienable rights. So, in conclusion, I feel that flag burning should be perfectly legal, regardless of how inflammatory it may be, as long as it does not infringe on others rights.

Congratulations. That was fun, and you had some really good arguments. I wish I was as politically active as you are when I was 13.