Another Red Herring
Winston Smith
6/23/05

For all of us Liberals, Progressives, and Democrats who spend our every waking hour burning American flags, yesterday was a terrible day. If the Republican-dominated House of Representatives has its way, soon the Constitution will be amended so that we can’t do that anymore. I guess we should be glad, however, that their initiative to make gay marriage unconstitutional sort of faded away on November 5th, 2004.

But wait! Is there some coincidence here? I mean, the Republican poll discussed in the House yesterday was unequivocal: 80% of Americans did not think that flag burning was a good thing to do. If that’s the case, then an amendment banning Flag Burning is as American as baseball, and those who approve of Flag Burning must be un-American… or so the logic would seem to go. What was not discussed on the floor was the result of another poll: only 20% of Americans think Flag Burning should be banned by a Constitutional amendment.

I smell Karl Rove here, and the stench is the same as the rotting carcass of the Gay Marriage Amendment: a red herring sullying in this summer of our discontent. Forget the scandalous DeLay hearing delays, $350,000,000,000.00 in war debts- and counting, $730,000,000,000.00 in national debt- and counting, and nearly $1,000,000,000,000.00 in trade deficits- and counting. No time to deal with Social Security, Medicare, or National Security. Certainly avoid at all costs dealing with a President who may have cajoled Congress into a war by cooking the intelligence used to justify it. Forget even dealing with Drugs in Baseball. Stopping the 150 or so Americans who have publicly burned the Flag over the last decade is now the national issue á la mode.

There is the chance that such an amendment will clear the House, but virtually no chance it will clear the Senate, and absolutely no chance in Hell it will pass by the legislatures of 38 states. It is, like the Gay Marriage Amendment, a non-starter- a red herring. It has one sole purpose: frame those who would oppose it as un-American. Again, the logic: if you are for those who would burn the American Flag, you must be un-American.

I was just kidding, by the way. I don’t spend all of my waking hours burning the American flag; I’m not one of those 150. I would have to be counted as one of the 80%: I don’t approve, but I don’t want it banned. For 216 years each and every citizen has had the right to say what they want about the politics of this nation. Sometimes what they have to say is not said very nicely, but the Constitution does not make such subtle distinctions.

Slowly but surely the neo-conservative movement is taking away our rights. George Bush’s Attorney General decided to exercise Federal control over the states right to allow medical use of marijuana by forcing these state laws, through appeal, into the Supreme Court. As two hundred librarians have testified, The Patriot Act can now force libraries to subject us to more than just a fine for overdue books. And if this Republican Party on steroids had their way, the Federal government would tell you who you may have in your bedroom, and when your family can make decisions about life and death.

Suggesting an amendment, which would prevent anyone from expressing themselves- as abhorrent as 80% of us might find that expression- is one more link in the chain of our self-created bondage.

I agree with everything you've written, Winston. And your argument adds credence to that of NightOwl and myself that constitutional amendments are, in general, a bad idea, except when absolutely necessary. And I'd be hard put to imagine any such exigency that might occur.

We don't want theirs, and we shouldn't push ones such as the one that Sunshine is supporting.

-Pegatha

What a big waste of time to start up something like an amendment banning Flag Burning for the congress and senate to mull over while taxpayers pay them for it.

There is much to be done in Washington, however this isn't one wasting precious time and money over.

And by the way, could we have an avatar of an american flag waving so I can wave mine?

KT

:julyfourth:

http://w3f.com/gifs/flag/animated/a-usa.gif

How do I put the image on here wundermaus?
All I know how to do is cut and paste this thing: http://w3f.com/gifs/flag/animated/a-usa.gif
KT

The only Flag I'd ever burn is the one Karl Rove wraps himself in.

While he's wearing it.

SORRY MOVE ON

Flag burning and marriage ammedments are used as distracters. The mention of them keep us alert. Proposing ammendments that take away rights rather then give them is always a threat to We The People. GOP hopes we become upset and involved with the issues so that something is said they can use later. The GOP also hopes it keeps our eye off their back doors.
Karl Rove is very well behind this, our experience in his setting up John Kerry during the campaign, putting a person in the crowd to ask a set question about voting for war and funding of war.

Reponse language from center to left should be the constitution should only be ammended to establish rights and not to take them away!

DOES IT NOT MAKE YOU WONDER WHOSE CAMPAIGN MANAGER ROVE IS NOW?

That's what the framers had in mind...

Wanna use my lighter?

We can't let them get away with this! The Democrats should immediately start repeating it over and over that this is a ploy by the Republicans to build up their sagging poll numbers and to draw attention away from the failures in Iraq. This is pure bullsh**, and the kind of stuff Republicans will continually do until we demand that they stop.

Problem is, the Democrats have been complicit in this war from Day One and have handed over so much power and moral authority to the Republicans that it will be almost impossible to get it back.

So, start blogging, writing, editorializing- this has gone out to the L.A. Times as an op/ed piece. Will it get published? Myabe- but if they don'e, someone will. You're right- the Left cannot fall into this bag of wet cement.

Excellent commentary, Winston Smith! I hope the LA Times runs it and other newspapers follow suit.

But what about chads thats not illegal

I started a blog today, and posted it there, too.

Big Blue Blog here on CGCS.

Posted a couple of other essays, too.

...from Vocabulary for Progressives, Big Blue Box, CGCS Blog, Winston Smith

Another good essay/blog, Winston. Corporate excess repeats itself
and we have regressed 100 years...

what is that saying?.... those who do not study history tend to repeat it? ... something like that

I have been waiting for someone to point out the parallels between now and the turn of the 20th century - there is such a clear parallel. Now all we have to do is find our 'trust busters'

With the lying criminal thugs in office now, I would prefer distrust busters...

Where's a Teddy when 'ya need him ?!

Still swimmin' in the waters off Chapaqiddock, I think...

History teacher, history teacher ! I expected this from anyone but you !

W, do you get the feeling that no one knows what or who the heck we are talking about ?

Personally, I thought we were onto a nice history lesson here - (maybe that's where my kid gets his "geek" genes from)

Hell, I'm not even sure if I spelled Chapa...Chappa...Chappi- I'm not even sure if I spelled the place right!

This flag issue is every bit as predictable as cutting PBS funds, and it will die the same death in the Senate. btw. can you burn the rebel flag?

"There are no rebels, only traitors... and they don't have flags." George Bush, 5/8/08.