Quote:
|
Originally Posted by GatorB
That's bullshit. The first Admendment especially protects speech no one likes. After all why wouuld speech everyone agrees with need protecting? You can burn an old tatter flag and it's considered proper, but if you burn it because you are protesting teh government then it's not ok. If that's not the definition of what the 1st Admendment is protecting then we should just tear the damned Constitution uip and burn that too.
Aks yourself this, WHY does ANY speech need protecting?
ANSWER: because sometimes the government doesn't like what you have to say.
All these guys who have miltary experience that tell people like me "You haven't served to you don't get it" no YOU don't get it. Go re-read you induction oath
"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;"
there is an old saying " I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death your right to say it"
Any military person that does not believe this is an emabarassment to the uniform, a hypocrite and a traitor.
|
I took that same oath in 1986 and I'd glady do it again if ever called for. While I swore to protect the Constitution, I saluted the flag - not the Constitution. And when the US military takes a location by force, they don't staple a copy of the Constitution up - No, they put a flag up. And then would fight to the death to ensure that flag stays there. The flag of the United States makes our allies feel safe and puts fear in the hearts of our enemies - Not the Constitution.
If I'm allowed to burn the flag in protest, does this mean I'm allowed to burn a cross on my front yard to protest the guy next door being black? I might have the right to freedom of expression, but does the guy next door not have the right to live in fear of driving pass my front lawn? Doesn't he have the right to the pursuit of happiness?
You have the right to freedom of expression to the point where you can offend others. You have the right to protest. You have the right to protest the government in a way most countries have never ever had. You should not have the right to burn the one thing that tens of thousands of our countrymen have died for.