Burning the American flag is offensive to me. And it is my opinion that doing so has side-effects for which you should be prepared. But I do not believe the practice should be punished by the state, which means I agree with 64% of Democrats on something.
Look, Ma! Flying Pigs!
Regular readers will understand. In a world where pole-dancing, cake-baking, and countless other activities which are also expressions are free speech, flag burning is as well.
It just is, and as a supporter of the First Amendment, I’m fine with that. I’m not saying it’s a good idea or that you should run out and do that. In all likleyhood you may find yourself the object of other forms of expression, some protected, many not, as a result of engaging in that act. Just own it.
But I won’t write a word protesting your right to do it.
This is not the majority opinion on the center-right and it never has been. A recent YouGov poll found that 67% of ‘Republicans” think people caught burning American flags should lose their citizenship.
Allahpundit at HotAir thinks the real issue with this poll is with how the question was asked.
I suspect most people who hear a question like that aren’t taking it at face value but are treating it as a proxy for whether flag-burning is broadly right or wrong. Would a good American burn the flag? Hell no, say Republicans! It’s our damned right to protest, counter Democrats! And that shakes out to the partisan mirror images we’re seeing here.
But it’s not that simple.
He goes on to make some interesting points but I’m not sure I agree with them. I think it is that simple. The question seems clear to me. Burn the flag, lose your citizenship. That’s a strong correlation between cause and effect in my mind.
And while he’s right about how likely a slight change in wording would get radically different results, and that this (after all) is a YouGov poll, that’s true of any question in any poll. The wording of questions is a social-science and they are often framed to arrive at the desired outcome.
Now, I get that I see and express my thoughts about the world in a fashion we might not call typical. My mind works a bit differently for good or bad. We’re all like that in our own way about a wide range of things. This is the genesis of great (or lousy) art, music, theater, design, debate, blog posts, everything; good mechanics, plumbers, pilots, doctors, you name it. And maybe the issue needs to be overthought and I’ve under simplified it. But regardless of how that question is asked, I’m never going to say that someone who burns an American flag should be punished by the state – unless there is some secondary hazard like combustible fumes or there are risks unrelated to risky forms of personal political expression. In which case the flag is not the issue.
The act in isolation from other unrelated harms, is in my mind, protected speech. But so are a lot of other things that might get you punched in the mouth. That’s your call.
If you want to be an assh*le have at it, just own that and whatever follows. No matter what flag you are burning. Just make sure you have the number of a good lawyer in case you decide that you want to try and sue whoever beat your ass.
| HotAir
