It’s not that I don’t want the winsome lady to be warm, but I do wonder what makes this different from desecrating the flag by burning it in protest.
One writer likened legislation making it illegal to burn the flag to a rite of spring. That’s because these bills spring up in early June just in time for Flag Day, which is June 14.
Such a bill would require an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
It’s probable that my liberal scribblings won’t change anyone’s mind about an emotional issue. After all, my critics have compared me on occasion to atheistic communist pinkos.
Nevertheless, there is a need to remind people that flag burning is a form of expression. People who are angry with the government, who misunderstand certain government actions or who feel left out of the process are usually the ones making such protests.
Unquestionably, many flag burners are doing it simply to stir up the public and attract attention to themselves. They are the same sort who draw obscene graffiti on public and private property.
There are lots of reasons not to amend our Constitution to prohibit flag burning.
First, our flag needs no such protection. It stands on its own as a symbol of our independence of spirit, the courage of our ancestors and the strength of the union.
Further, our Constitution already has a substantial number of amendments and doesn’t need new ones, especially amendments that serve no practical purpose.
And finally, the amendment would serve only to ignite the reckless spirit of protesters. The amendment would just incite civil disobedience.
Why? Because it’s there. It’s the same answer we’ve heard when people are asked why they climb to the top of Mount Everest or explore the moon. And the more vigorously we try to control their behavior, the greater their passion to break a particular law.
This zeal to punish protesters confuses me.
No one is suggesting that the amendment apply to other inappropriate uses of the flag.
I happen to think the blanket embellished with the stars and strips is inappropriate. I don’t like shorts, T-shirts, swim suits and the like similarly emblazoned with the flag. I don’t want a bath towel or a beach towel designed as a flag. I cringe at the thought of an ash tray (although the anti-smoking movement is making ash trays increasingly scarce, they do make convenient repositories for paper clips, rubber bands and stamps) in the shape of a flag.
To be honest, I’m unsure about the appropriateness of all these flags attached to motor vehicles, flags that flap in the breeze until they are tattered and frail. You also see them flying at residences and businesses where they are left out in rain, sleet and snow.
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I have noticed a paucity of flag-burning incidents in this country. The folks burning the American flag appear to be mostly angry critics in other countries, places that certainly have never benefited from the merits of our constitution.
The wave of patriotism that swept across our nation after 9/11 was a good thing. It was good for the country to come together. It was a time to appreciate our exceptional historic qualities of liberty and justice, the things that made our country great.
Likewise, I like the renewed interest in the Pledge of Allegiance. I would object if we passed a law requiring people to make the Pledge. After all, there are religions that forbid the pledging of allegiance to any entity other than God.
I don’t mind the inclusion of the “under God” phrase added to the Pledge about 50 years ago.
For those who object on the grounds that they do not believe in a god, I might offer this advice. Don’t interpret the word as a religious symbol. For those who believe in God, it’s fine. For those who do not believe in God, the phrase can refer to something greater than just a nation or a planet. The phrase simply means that the republic for which it (the flag) stands was created by something that surpasses all the material levels human beings can understand and accept.
Appreciation and love for our flag is both personal and individualized. What offends one person may be acceptable to someone else.
I once had a friend, now deceased, who objected to postage stamps depicting the flag, despite the fact that the flag has always been a popular subject for United States stamps. He regarded the postmark as a form of defacement to the flag.
As for those folks with flag blankets and flags wrapped around their bikini bottoms, let’s face facts — there is no law prohibiting tackiness. Nor is there a need to amend the Constitution to guarantee good taste.
Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or at florence@thepilot.com.
