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Pandering With Proposed Amendments

By TChris, Section Constitution
Posted on Thu May 04, 2006 at 07:09:32 PM EST
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by TChris

You know it's an election year when politicians take time away from the pressing issues of the day to promote amendments to the Constitution that lessen our rights.

Approved 6-3 by a Judiciary Committee panel on the Constitution, the amendment reads: "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."

Other efforts to take away rights we're likely to hear about this summer:

The flag measure is one of several constitutional amendments Republican leaders are advancing to energize conservative voters even though none of them is likely to clear the Senate. Others include outlawing abortion and banning same-sex marriage.

The ACLU responds here to the extreme view that symbols of freedom are more important than actual freedom.

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    Pandering With Proposed Amendments | 16 comments (16 topical)
    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu May 04, 2006 at 08:22:23 PM EST
    Too bad these representatives don't tell their constituants how hard it really is to change the Constitution. They make it seem like all that has to be done is for them to get enough votes in congress and it'll be changed. Does anyone remember how long it took to get the Women's Right to Vote or The Voting Rights Amendments added to the Constitution? How about reminding the voters how, after all the years it was fought for, the ERA was never ratified. Does any school system still teach civics?

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#2)
    by Johnny on Fri May 05, 2006 at 01:51:26 AM EST
    This day and age, all that has to be done is work "terrorists will win" into the wording and it will pass.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 03:00:18 AM EST
    What's an honest dissenter to do. Hail to King George but can't say boo. Senate repent, Remember Kent. Patriot vanguard ACLU.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#4)
    by jen on Fri May 05, 2006 at 04:45:22 AM EST
    Does this mean we will finally get rid of all those raggedy flags being flown on people's cars? That I don't have to see anymore stupid stained t-shirts with faded american flag and the unfortunate words 'these colors dont run" when the obviously have? That there will be no more seeing the flag ironed on/sewed on/painted on places they have no buisiness being? Cause I gotta tell ya the things some people do are more than a little demeaning to the poor flag.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#5)
    by roxtar on Fri May 05, 2006 at 05:40:25 AM EST
    Has there been an epidemic of flag burning of which I am unaware?

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#6)
    by kdog on Fri May 05, 2006 at 09:39:04 AM EST
    Somethings burning, but it ain't the flag...it's the freedoms we once enjoyed.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#7)
    by Johnny on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:16:01 AM EST
    That first amendment really burns the wrong-wingers hind-quarters. To think that the party of personal responsibility is once again scheming to remove the concept of "choice" from the American thought process.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri May 05, 2006 at 10:22:02 AM EST
    if they just got rid of the bloody thing, they could have more time for what they do best: sucking up to corporate america.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#9)
    by Repack Rider on Fri May 05, 2006 at 04:21:28 PM EST
    Thanks for the heads-up. I called my senator (Feinstein) immediately and asked why the Judiciary Committed felt that despite all the illegality going on in the administration, this was the highest priority for them to work on. It's not worth paying for the time it takes for the steno to type it up.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#10)
    by Nowonmai on Fri May 05, 2006 at 05:55:58 PM EST
    Approved 6-3 by a Judiciary Committee panel on the Constitution, the amendment reads: "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."
    As flag burning is (or should I say was) a form of protest protected by the ever being erroded 1st amendment, this doens't auger well for the rest of the Bill of Rights. It's bad enough that Bush protesters are (for the most part) falsely arrested for breech of peace or disturbing the peace (like Pro-Bush rallies don't make as much noise?), or kept as far away as possible, but now individual acts that were covered by Constittution and Bill of Rights are being chipped away. So, the right whiners err wingers want to make flag burning illegal, as it desecrates the flag. I protest that, as the Flag is NOT a holy icon. It is not a religious symbol, no matter how much Bushianty has been to the fore trying to say that it is.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#11)
    by Johnny on Sat May 06, 2006 at 05:39:52 AM EST
    It is not a religious symbol
    So what? Public desecration of religious symbols should be just as open as burning a flag. That is another part of the first. Like I said, that first amendment really chaffs the wrong-wingers butts.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#12)
    by Johnny on Sat May 06, 2006 at 05:41:45 AM EST
    I should qualify-public desecration of religious symbols, in a protest. Otherwise, some might think I endorse the desecration of the black hills in SD. Or church bombings etc.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#13)
    by BigTex on Sat May 06, 2006 at 03:25:47 PM EST
    How is this any different from passing a law that says you can't shoot the bald eagle (leaving aside the secondary protection of endangered species act), or can't pick a state's state flower or shoot the state bird? Any of those acts can be done in protest, and there is no hue and cry to reverse those laws. This isn't taking away the right to protest, only taking away the right to desicrate the flag. Jen, you make good points about the ratty flags on vehicles, stained flag icons as clothing etc. Elvis had it best when talking about why not to wear the flag. I don't remember the quote exactly but ti was something about not wanting to see sweat on the stars and grass stains on the stripes. I used to be in the ACLU's camp on this issue. Then one day it dawned on me. Burning the flag isn't the protest. Burning the flag is simply an action that is part of the overall protest. The protest can go on without burning the flag. The limit on the right to protest is smaller than the protection of the national symbol. This isn't about stopping protest, no matter how much the lefties want to make it seem that way.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#14)
    by jondee on Sat May 06, 2006 at 04:29:40 PM EST
    I dont think the lefties want to make it about stopping protest, I think the righties want the public to think that (i.e., the Left wants to burn the flag.) This is classic, impotent, grandstanding on our dime about something that never happens. Personally Im getting a little tired of having my intelligence insulted on a daily basis by these overpaid gameshow hosts who are supposed to have more important things to do.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#15)
    by jondee on Sat May 06, 2006 at 04:50:43 PM EST
    Im almost suprised they havnt introduced an amendment to stop the Left from dragging motherhood and apple pie through the mud too. Probobly because they couldnt decide whether it should be one amendment or two seperate ones.

    Re: Pandering With Proposed Amendments (none / 0) (#16)
    by jondee on Sat May 06, 2006 at 04:58:23 PM EST
    Dont think of an elephant. They frame the issue and then when people invoke civil liberties they get accused of wanting to burn the flag. Real effin cute.

    Pandering With Proposed Amendments | 16 comments (16 topical)