Why is it that it has to be a flag?
Why can't they take off their shoes. Pour gasoline on their shoes and light them up?
Why must the flag be the central point?
Well, here's my take:
They pick the flag, because they won't get a rise out of anyone by burning their shoes, socks or whatever.
Who does the flag burning affect? Those that esteem or reverence it as a symbol, that goes beyond it's material make-up of being cloth and nicely applied dye.
There may be a few exceptions, but I would hazard a guess that most flag burners don't really reverence the symbol, but only use it as a means to be heard.
The flag to them is a "tool" to further an agenda. The know that what they see/perceive as their tool is another man/womans sacred symbol.
So, go for the jugular, and burn something special to those and their philosophys that you abhor, or disagree with.
It's almost like holding someone hostage. In some ways it's as though these folks hold the American flag hostage as a means to their end. The first amendment works perfectly into their "motive operandi".
In the Middle East they hold human lives hostage to protest the war, here they take a sacred symbol that holds reverence to many and use it similarly.
Back in the "Nam" Days, they took over college administration buildings, and basically shut down these places of higher education. Again, "Motive Operandi" again, just a tool or means to an end for these folks.
These same folks of higher intellect than the dumb sheeple of the "Red" states, also advocated the questioning/challenging of all authority, and Making Love, Not War, with their LSD.
Many of them are now in positions of authority or strong influence over your lives nowadays.
Don't get sucked into thinking that burning the flag is patriotic, and a beautiful sight as an American, cause it distinguishes us from the other nations.
Flag burning is protected Constitutionally, but so is having sex with a Goat as long as you don't do it in public.
I think that the First Amendment is the greatest , but must it be abused in a way that promotes downhill slide towards national Anarchy? Ballot boxes will become passe', as flag burning becomes vogue.
Incremental steps is how things sneek up and bite us in the arse one day. Rome went that route....We (USA) are not exempt.
******
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/July/04/local/stories/06local.htm
Flags burn in celebration
By GENEVIEVE BOOKWALTER
SENTINEL STAFF WRITER
About 25 revelers celebrated their freedom of speech and welcomed the Fourth of July on Monday night with the "2nd Annual Old Time American Flag Burn."
Around a burn barrel at Seabright State Beach, organizer Brent Adams, 41, of Santa Cruz, declared flag burning not a protest, but a celebration of the Constitution's First Amendment.
"It seemed like a good idea to burn some flags just because we can," added fellow organizer Sha Lar, 32, of Santa Cruz.
The festivities were especially relevant after a constitutional amendment allowing Congress to ban flag desecration died in the Senate last week.
That proposal came in response to Supreme Court rulings in 1989 and 1990 that burning and other desecrations of the flag are protected as free speech by the First Amendment.
But it failed by one vote in the Senate to reach the two-thirds approval required before going to the states for ratification.
"The Senate overruled it by one vote, and let's celebrate it," Lar said. Some at the celebration noted that in other countries, they could be shot for torching the national flag.
Poison Oak, 35, of Aptos, said he wanted to "reclaim the flag. Not only those who support President George W. Bush can wave the red white and blue."
Still, not everyone on the beach appreciated stars and stripes melting over the fire.
"I think they should keep it to themselves," said Bill Crawford, 16, of Aptos, who was on the beach with buddies Elijah Manchester and Jacob Kendall, both 16 and from Santa Cruz.
The trio looked away as flames consumed the large and small flags.
"To me this is what represents our nation and what represents our freedom," Manchester said. He questioned why the group would want to burn the symbol of free speech.
Despite their different views, those who didn't agree with flag burning were still welcome at the event, said Igliashon Jones, 23, of Santa Cruz. Free speech is what it was all about.
"I don't think this would be what it is without debate," Jones said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Genevieve Bookwalter at atgbookwalter@santacruzsentinel.com.
