More.

I am so utterly sick of hearing about weapons of mass destruction. I suspect I'm not the only person who smirks whenever the term gets bandied about. And now this. Just what we need. America has a lot of problems, but one thing it always had going for it was the civil liberties and freedoms awarded to citizens. In a post 9/11 America evidently we're more willing to tolerate the loss of those liberties and freedoms. Sure, there are people speaking out against the Patriot Act, but those people seem to be few and far between.

America. It's an interesting place really. This is a quite well-written assessment of the current push for a flag protection amendment. I'm probably one of maybe a dozen people who read government sites for fun, and yes, I realise how warped I am. I find the following to be so incredibly irritating, I can barely express that irritation.

From:
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.J. RES. 10, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AUTHORIZING CONGRESS TO PROHIBIT PHYSICAL DESECRATION OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES -- (House of Representatives - June 21, 2005)

"Our flag, with 50 stars and 13 stripes, represents the history, culture, and ideology of democracy for the world. Millions of Americans throughout our Nation's history died defending our flag and the ideals it represents. To burn a flag is to disrespect America and disrespect democracy. For our enemies, those who embrace terrorism, communism, and totalitarianism, burning the American flag is a sign of defiance, because freedom threatens the existence of tyranny. For our soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, our flag is motivation to keep fighting, to move ahead, and reason to liberate a people from fear of oppression, as it has been in every conflict in which our Nation has fought."

Phil Gingrey of Georgia's 11th district is responsible for the above. I'd really like to poke him in the eye. He's on the list, along with Hillary Duff and Bono. Yup. They need to be poked in the eye Three Stooges style. (And no, I'm not saying I'm going to poke them in the eye, in no way is this a threat, it's simply an expression of dislike. Please don't sic your goons on me. I'm a nice law abiding citizen, honest.)

I remember a few years ago, the speech made by Ashcroft regarding a flag desecration amendment. He said, "As a national emblem of the world's greatest democracy, the American flag should be treated with respect and care. Our free speech rights do not entitle us to simply consider the flag as 'personal property', which can be treated any way we see fit including physically desecrating it as a legitimate form of political protest."

Yeah. Because Ashcroft was such a huge supporter of The Bill of Rights. Uh huh. Really.

I remember reading this story about Madeleine Albright visiting some eastern European countries just after they had thrown off communism.There were people waving American flags - flags with 48 stars. American soldiers had passed out flag when they had helped liberate these countries during World War II, and the people had preserved the flags a representation of democracy, even through Soviet oppression. And that's cool, it really is. I'm all about democracy (even if America isn't actually a democracy - it's a republic). But the flag is a symbol. A symbol. Yes, it's a powerful symbol, but that's all it is.

Do I like swastikas? No. Do I like the "confederate" flag (which wasn't actually the national flag of the confederacy)? No. Do I absolutely support the right to display them? Yes. Believing in and supporting the Bill of Rights, and in particular the freedoms of speech and expression means supporting those freedoms even when we whole-heartedly disagree with what they are being extended to.

There is a reason the framers made it so difficult to amend the constitution. They didn't want people doing so foolishly, and without serious consideration.

You know, if the states ratify this amendment I'm really going to have to get my ass out of this country before I land that same ass in jail. And you know, I'm rather partial to my ass.