Monday, June 27, 2005
Finally, I've Made up My Mind About Flag Burning
I've been mute on the flag burning amendment thing becasue I haven't known what to say. But thanks to Powerline for pointing me to Mark Steyn in the Chicago Sun-Times which has helped me make up my mind -- I'm against the amendment.
Steyn summarizes his arguement in his last paragraph
Michael Medved is fond of discussing the "do something: disease. That is to say, when we see something we do not like, we feel we have to do something. Sometimes, our principles actually prevent us from doing something -- in this case our respect for free speech should prevent us from this action.
I believe it was Abraham Lincoln that said "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." A mute response to someone burning a flag simply says "You are not worthy of response, your actions speak for themselves." Something like a constitutional amendment grants these cretins far more attention than they deserve.
Steyn summarizes his arguement in his last paragraph
That's the point: A flag has to be worth torching. When a flag gets burned, that's not a sign of its weakness but of its strength. If you can't stand the heat of your burning flag, get out of the superpower business. It's the left that believes the state can regulate everyone into thought-compliance. The right should understand that the battle of ideas is won out in the open.I agree wholeheartedly, and would add a thought.
Michael Medved is fond of discussing the "do something: disease. That is to say, when we see something we do not like, we feel we have to do something. Sometimes, our principles actually prevent us from doing something -- in this case our respect for free speech should prevent us from this action.
I believe it was Abraham Lincoln that said "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." A mute response to someone burning a flag simply says "You are not worthy of response, your actions speak for themselves." Something like a constitutional amendment grants these cretins far more attention than they deserve.
