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Funny, Xenox!
If you want to be that trite, the counter to that might be, "The real Jesus forgives your jesus for aiding and abetting terrorists."
posted by
WriterofLight
on July 2, 2006 at 7:01 PM
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Welcome, Bel!
And thanks to your husband for his service!
posted by
WriterofLight
on July 2, 2006 at 6:57 PM
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About that "landslide," Blogflogger . . .
D- on your homework! 
. The vote was on whether or not to send a proposed Constitutional amendment to the states for ratification. Such votes require a 2/3 majority for passage. It failed by one vote, the narrowest possible margin. Calling that a "landslide" is like calling Bubba's 43% popular vote a "mandate."
Your analogies don't help, either. No one fought and died for our wedding rings. A church is a house of worship, and unless you have an unhealthy attachment to the place rather than the One who is worshipped there, the only challenge it is likely to pose is along the lines of why it happened. And, no, the flag is not "worshipped," and comparing it to religious figures doesn't work. Here is a terrific explanation of its symbolism, found at the U. S. Coast Guard website: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/mcpocg/hht/mUSFlagceremony.htm
Read about the Senate vote at http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/6/27/210205.shtml?s=lh
posted by
WriterofLight
on July 2, 2006 at 6:55 PM
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A GOOD LINK
CLICK HERE
posted by
Xeno-x
on June 29, 2006 at 1:10 PM
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I Agree
posted by
Dr_JPT
on June 29, 2006 at 7:31 AM
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Your point was brilliant
I frankly think that anyone who burns an American flag is a fool, but I don't support the amendment. I don't think flags really get burned all that often. Even a lot of fringe leftists who hate this country at least pretend to be patriotic. Once you pass that amendment, I think flag-burnings would go up about %1000 as all the extreme free-speech advocates start burning them just to make a point. The flag is better protected in my view by
not having a ban. There's also the issue of people's right to do what they want with their own property, which I think should only be restricted only in a very few cases (if it causes real harm to another individual, that kind of thing).
posted by
AaronB
on June 28, 2006 at 8:51 PM
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Thank You!!!
I read this to my husband earlier and his response is this:
"Part of what I did in Iraq, was to ensure those who are mistreated and discriminated against in this country the right to fight to stand up and be counted. I am proud of that.
What I did not expect my time in Iraq to support was so called free speech that allows people to take our national symbol and burn in the public square and I truly doubt that is what those who have carried on the fight for the past two hundred years had in mind either. There is a fine line between freedom of speech and abuse of freedom. "
Again, thank you for saying what so many of us are feeling. 
posted by
bel_1965
on June 28, 2006 at 8:34 PM
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WriterofLight - The failure of the flag legislation is a liberal uprising?
To begin with, it lost by a landslide in a body with a conservative majority. ???
To the point of the absurdity of the concept:
Two people are still in love after many years of marriage, and one loses there wedding ring. Is the relationship less valid, less precious, threatened?
If you attend a church and the church burns to the ground, are your beliefs still just as strong, do you still find the same satisfaction from your religious beliefs?
Do you value worshiping statues, icons, and “symbols” of that which you believe in, or is the belief that which is the true value.
While a flag of our country can most definitely cause a show of respect, a patriotic wet eye, and a symbol of common beliefs and values of the American people, isn’t it just a “symbol” of those beliefs.
Does the burning of a flag change anything about what that flag stands for or is it simply one person making a statement?
If all the flags in our country were to disappear wouldn’t we still be the same country with the same patriotic or non-patriotic values?
I don’t think this is a "liberal movement" against the flag, I think it’s the dismissal of the superficial value of worshiping icons rather than practicing the life that the icon represents.
An unhealthy worship of an idol / icon / symbol borders on idolatry, no? It is not “the belief itself” which carries the value.
In reference to your comment about burning a gay pride flag, no problem. If you buy the flag, you own the flag, and you don’t violate any burning or public nuisance laws, go for it. But, taking a flag away from someone during a gay pride parade, and burning that flag DOES go beyond your personal rights as to expression of freedom of speech and personal beliefs.
posted by
blogflogger
on June 28, 2006 at 7:33 PM
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