Flag abuse ban fails by 1 vote in U.S. Senate - New England Patriots Forums

***IcyPatriot*** · 06-28-2006, 01:43 AM

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...06/28/FLAG.TMP

Quote:

The Senate fell one vote short Tuesday of the two-thirds needed to pass a constitutional amendment that would have given Congress the power to ban desecration of the U.S. flag after a debate that pitted the importance of the nation's symbols against a citizen's right to freedom of speech.

The failure of the amendment, pushed to the floor by the Republican leadership, echoed the defeat earlier this month of an amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

The 66-to-34 vote on the one-sentence flag amendment disappointed advocates who had believed they could muster the 67 votes needed for passage in the Senate and send the amendment to the states.

But opponents were heartened that they again had defeated what they said was an unprecedented attempt to turn back free speech rights and a Republican election-year ploy to rally the party's conservative base for the November congressional elections.

"It's a simple amendment, but it speaks to the fact that the flag is the single symbol that protects our liberty and freedom,'' Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said before the vote, which he timed to be close to the Fourth of July holiday.

I understand why it didn't pass...but I'll still don't understand why anyone would want to burn the flag...a flag that many died to protect on this soil.

***DarrylS*** · 06-28-2006, 04:45 AM

Read somewhere this AM that the flag burning increased 33% last year, from 3 instances to 4. I would rather see the emphasis on the existing flag code, which would take a look at all the ragged flags flying on cars, desecrated on the ground, left up all night without illumination than to add another law or change the constitution. There are very few things I would change the constitution for and this is not one of them.

This whole effort along with the Gay Marriage Amendment, Iraq pullout is nothing more than pandering in preparation for the fall campaigns. One candidate can say I voted for these things, therefore I must be good. All a bunch of bull****, and congress has other things they could and should be working on.

***Patters*** · 06-28-2006, 05:59 AM

This Congress is really embarrassing. They put up b.s. issue after b.s. issue to try to polarize Americans even more. I'm really disappointed at the large number of Democrats who voted for this. Does anyone here favor a Constitutional Amendment to ban flag burning?

bmf31c · 06-28-2006, 06:59 AM

I agree with GJA, who is burning flags? The t-shirts, bandanas, tattered etc etc are insulting to me, the misuse of the symbol is just as bad as burning it. I don't think its a worthwhile cause at the present time for congress to be debating it.

I have a flag on my right arm everyday, I'll extend an invitation to anyone that wants to come and burn it.

bmf31c · 06-28-2006, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patters

This Congress is really embarrassing. They put up b.s. issue after b.s. issue to try to polarize Americans even more.

I hope this didn't take too much time away from them debating what to name the all the Post Offices.

***IcyPatriot*** · 06-28-2006, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmf31c

I agree with GJA, who is burning flags? The t-shirts, bandanas, tattered etc etc are insulting to me, the misuse of the symbol is just as bad as burning it. I don't think its a worthwhile cause at the present time for congress to be debating it.

I have a flag on my right arm everyday, I'll extend an invitation to anyone that wants to come and burn it.

I doubt any of them would have the cahonesto do it...but they are the 1st to cry foul whenever it suits their issues..

bmf31c · 06-28-2006, 07:44 AM

The Soldier
It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.
By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

bmf31c · 06-28-2006, 07:45 AM

The citizen Soldiers...Patriots, they called them.

PatsFanInEaglesLand · 06-28-2006, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmf31c

The Soldier
It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.
By Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

I don't think you will get anyone to come out and say it, but there are some here who would totally disagree with that passage. I once had a poster here tell me in took as much courage to be an protester/activist as it did to be a soldier.

***patsfan13*** · 06-28-2006, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatsFanInEaglesLand

I don't think you will get anyone to come out and say it, but there are some here who would totally disagree with that passage. I once had a poster here tell me in took as much courage to be an protester/activist as it did to be a soldier.

Of course our freedom is just sorta an accident, don'tya know.