Since 1789, there have been more than 11,000 attempts in Congress to amend the Constitution; only 27 amendments have won ratification. (from the YAHOO newsboard)
The most recent of a spate of attempts to amend the Constitution to prohibit flag burning seems destined to pass. Post 9/11 pressure, and some strategic Republican electoral wins have given this initiative the necessary oomph to prevail over sensible legislative scrutiny that has prevented 10,973 other misguided attempts to change the fabric of our national identity.
Emotion prevails, pundits wail and an impressionable public that never seems to learn from past abuses opens wide and swallows. Let's all stop being whores to manipulative, self-serving pols(to follow the dirty joke vein I'm mining). Let's be nice girls and spit the jizz of spurious, nonvalid legislative efforts right back on their collective laps!
We defend far worse things(IMHO) in the name if First Amendment protection than the act of flag burning. This smacks of cold war, red scare, commie hunting behavior, that we should have outgrown. The flag is a symbol(albeit a powerful one) pure and simple. If someone defaces or destroys it as an act of protest or defiance, I may not appreciate the gesture, but I don't take it as a personal affront. We're wasting far too much valuable time exercising ourselves over things of no consequence.
ankh
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