FLAG burning being challenged by Trump

[der Teufel]

Personally I think flag desecration should be considered a hate crime.

Realistically, I doubt anything will change. And I suppose if the KKK can march and shout, others should be allowed to do despicable things also.

[parabelum]

Correction, he engages twitter before he engages his brain...

Agree on twitter thing. He's too jumpy on there.

[allisji]

I hate it but it should be legal. Most cities have laws against setting un contained fires though, and this is what people should be charged with.

I like that, but you know it wouldn't stick! lol

This is a problem that I have with the new generation of protestors. If you want to protest, fine. But if your protest involves the commission of unrelated crimes, like blocking traffic, destruction of property that is not yours, littering, verbal / physical assault, or starting fires in the street, then you should be punished for those crimes. To me, there is no conflict here. I have a right to stand in the public square telling the world my thoughts on whatever is going on. But that does not give me the right to break any laws.

^n

[jsclark12]

Trump should REALLY STAY OFF TWITTER AND SOCIAL MEDIA. his accounts should be given to a social media rep.

I couldn't agree more here. He is embarrassing himself.

[rotor]

I assume we are relating to the flag burning at the Massachusetts college (Hampshire College) and the response of the administration to not fly the flag anymore. Although I believe that flag burning is an expression of free speech I do not agree that the college administrator should have the right to prohibit flying the American flag. The school and students receive a significant amount of federal money in the way of grants and student aid. Although the protestors have the right to burn the flag they don't have the right to receive federal financing. I did not see that as an enumerated constitutional right. Trump Tweets a bunch of silly statements and these I believe are his personal feelings but things that are not going to become law. Even Justice Scalia thought flag burning was abhorrent but legal. Now I wouldn't mind seeing someone burning the Mexican flag at one of those rallies where illegals show up parading the flag of the country they escaped from.

[G26ster]

“If it were up to me, I would put in jail every sandal-wearing, scruffy-bearded weirdo who burns the American flag, but I am not king.” - Antonin Scalia, 2015

So Scalia said and felt the same thing as Trump, but recognized the Constitution.

[allisji]

I didn't read Trump's statement directly, but I have no problem with him making a statement that he thinks it should be illegal to burn the American flag. That's a perfectly fine thing for a patriotic person to think. But it's not illegal to burn the flag and never will be. As far as Trump on twitter, I like that he's not afraid to float an outrageous idea in the public sphere. Sometimes it generates good discussions. I don't think he cares too much that some people think it makes him look foolish. Lots of other people agree with him 100%. He already won the election, so he doesn't have to worry as much about public opinion anymore... as if he ever did worry too much about it (all he needed was 270 electors).

[Soccerdad1995]

I assume we are relating to the flag burning at the Massachusetts college (Hampshire College) and the response of the administration to not fly the flag anymore. Although I believe that flag burning is an expression of free speech I do not agree that the college administrator should have the right to prohibit flying the American flag. The school and students receive a significant amount of federal money in the way of grants and student aid. Although the protestors have the right to burn the flag they don't have the right to receive federal financing. I did not see that as an enumerated constitutional right. Trump Tweets a bunch of silly statements and these I believe are his personal feelings but things that are not going to become law. Even Justice Scalia thought flag burning was abhorrent but legal. Now I wouldn't mind seeing someone burning the Mexican flag at one of those rallies where illegals show up parading the flag of the country they escaped from.

I believe that the thugs at Hampshire (I was thinking Amherst for some reason) burned an American flag that belonged to the college, so their actions are illegal, regardless. I thought this discussion was more on the question of whether it should be legal to burn an American flag that you personally own.

[pushpullpete]

SOOOOO..... Trump is saying that flag burning should be illegal and should come with 1 year imprisonment. Yes, it is established that it is a form of protected speech by the SCOTUS. The discussion is not about whether or not it is legal.

But what are your thoughts?


http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/politics/ ... index.html

I wonder where he got that thought...

18 U.S. Code § 700

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-20 ... sec700.htm

parabelum, good catch.
Although I learned many decades ago in Boy Scouts that there is only one reason to burn a flag, I'm embarassed to say
that I did not know that section of the code. Thank you.

[TreyHouston]

hillary supported the same think FYI

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/t ... ing-231920

"A 2005 bill that would have reinstituted a ban on flag burning was co-sponsored by Hillary Clinton, then a senator from New York. That legislation was unsuccessful."

for the record, I think there should be some crime attached to burning the American flag.

[allisji]

SOOOOO..... Trump is saying that flag burning should be illegal and should come with 1 year imprisonment. Yes, it is established that it is a form of protected speech by the SCOTUS. The discussion is not about whether or not it is legal.

But what are your thoughts?


http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/politics/ ... index.html

I wonder where he got that thought...

18 U.S. Code § 700

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-20 ... sec700.htm

parabelum, good catch.
Although I learned many decades ago in Boy Scouts that there is only one reason to burn a flag, I'm embarassed to say
that I did not know that section of the code. Thank you.

well I guess that pretty much settles it then...

[anygunanywhere]

Laws are only for us dirt people, us deplorables.

[pushpullpete]

SOOOOO..... Trump is saying that flag burning should be illegal and should come with 1 year imprisonment. Yes, it is established that it is a form of protected speech by the SCOTUS. The discussion is not about whether or not it is legal.

But what are your thoughts?


http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/politics/ ... index.html

I wonder where he got that thought...

18 U.S. Code § 700

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-20 ... sec700.htm

parabelum, good catch.
Although I learned many decades ago in Boy Scouts that there is only one reason to burn a flag, I'm embarassed to say
that I did not know that section of the code. Thank you.

well I guess that pretty much settles it then...

what did it settle ?

[mr1337]

I may not agree with what they say, but I will defend with my life their right to say it.

[allisji]

SOOOOO..... Trump is saying that flag burning should be illegal and should come with 1 year imprisonment. Yes, it is established that it is a form of protected speech by the SCOTUS. The discussion is not about whether or not it is legal.

But what are your thoughts?


http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/29/politics/ ... index.html

I wonder where he got that thought...

18 U.S. Code § 700

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-20 ... sec700.htm

parabelum, good catch.
Although I learned many decades ago in Boy Scouts that there is only one reason to burn a flag, I'm embarassed to say
that I did not know that section of the code. Thank you.

well I guess that pretty much settles it then...

what did it settle ?

The law is already written making it illegal and calling for penalties... though unenforceable due to the Supreme Court's ruling. I really like that the law exists even if it can't be enforced. Anyone burning, trampling, etc the flag is breaking the law.