Is burning and pooing on the stars and stripes bad?

Prometheus · 08-26-2007, 05:43 AM

Burning and pooing on the union jack is no problems in blighty, but is burning and pooing on the stars and stripes flag okay too in the US?

Or do so many people get so upset, that it is nearly outlawed or people go crazy and start killing the flag pooers, or flag burners, or flag poo/burn combo activists?

I would actively encourage the burning and pooing on the union jack in the US as a statement that it is only a flag, an emblem, a piece of cloth or a few pixels thrown together on a puter screen, it means feck all.

lew · 08-26-2007, 10:27 AM

Stylerod · 08-26-2007, 11:30 AM

It's not "bad" really. It's actually quite revealing. You figure the flag is the symbol of a country. In the case of England and the US one of the things the flag represents is freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of religion etc.

So if you think about it. The people that poop and burn the flag are really burning and pooping on their own freedoms.

In the wise words of Buck Murdock: "Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes."

kinggovernor · 08-26-2007, 05:08 PM

are you like 12?

Prometheus · 08-26-2007, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

are you like 12?

Stylerod is not 12.

He is a mature and well respected poster.

Prometheus · 08-26-2007, 07:37 PM

If the stars and stripes represents freedom from religion, then why does the US have a trend of wrapping up the lord and "one nation under god" within the affairs of the state?

That Bush is an evangelical nut, you can't shut the fucker up.

Thorgrim · 08-26-2007, 07:49 PM

I really don't see how the US flags represents freedom of speech considering hate speech laws, anti-war speech laws of the majority of our country's history (and somewhat today), flag burning laws that are continually passed, etc etc

Scrum · 08-26-2007, 08:09 PM

It's just a piece of cloth.

Stylerod · 08-26-2007, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Prometheus

If the stars and stripes represents freedom from religion, then why does the US have a trend of wrapping up the lord and "one nation under god" within the affairs of the state?

That Bush is an evangelical nut, you can't shut the fucker up.

Freedom OF religion. Not FROM religion.

Prometheus · 08-27-2007, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Freedom OF religion. Not FROM religion.

I gitch ya now, ok so you don't have to be scared of the religious folk, but you can practice any sort of religion.

Simius · 08-27-2007, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

It's not "bad" really. It's actually quite revealing. You figure the flag is the symbol of a country. In the case of England and the US one of the things the flag represents is freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of religion etc.

So if you think about it. The people that poop and burn the flag are really burning and pooping on their own freedoms.

In the wise words of Buck Murdock: "Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes."

What would be truly ironic is a law against flag burning. You gotta figure such a law would be there to protect our flag so the symbol isn't desecrated... yet by infringing on the rights to free speech such a law desecrates the freedoms the flag is supposed to represent.

Personally, I'd rather have a little poo stain on my flag that still has meaning then have a flag that doesn't symbolize freedom but is scotch clean.

Nonphixion · 08-27-2007, 05:52 PM

Good to have you on board, Prometheus. But a slight criticism.

I think you only call the Union Flag a "Union Jack" when it is flying from the Jack Pole of a naval ship. Like the HMS Belfast.

nbiggershaft · 08-28-2007, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Freedom OF religion. Not FROM religion.

You implying I don't have freedom from religion?

Linzyhop · 08-28-2007, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by nbiggershaft

You implying I don't have freedom from religion?

founding fathers meant "of religion"... but we have both today... or at least that's what they say....

Stylerod · 08-28-2007, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by nbiggershaft

You implying I don't have freedom from religion?

No. Religion is everywhere. I'm sure you drive by a church/temple/synagogue etc on many of your drives.

Hate it for you

WickedLou9 · 08-28-2007, 11:07 AM

Freedom from religon isn't really an accurate description of the right.

You personally have the right to reject religion. But there will be others around you with the right to practice whatever religion they choose, and those other individuals also have the freedom of speech, so you will be exposed to thier beliefs. In that reguard you are not free from religion.
You are however, free to reject it. You are free to choose whatever religon you want or no religion at all. But so is everyone else. So you have to live with that.

Flag burning is a form of free speech. Unpopular as it may be, it is precisely that form of unpopular speech which needs protecting and which IS protected by the first ammendment.
There have been numerous attempts in congress to pass a law banning flag burning. There is probably one bill a year that tries to ban it. It never passes.
It is unquestionably unconstitutional.

Rouger2 · 08-28-2007, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by nbiggershaft

You implying I don't have freedom from religion?

Your not the government

Scrum · 08-28-2007, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

No. Religion is everywhere. I'm sure you drive by a church/temple/synagogue etc on many of your drives.

Hate it for you

That's not even close to what "Freedom from religion" means. It has nothing to do with not having to see it.

It's about the government not legislating based on religious beliefs.

Prometheus · 08-28-2007, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Simius

What would be truly ironic is a law against flag burning. You gotta figure such a law would be there to protect our flag so the symbol isn't desecrated... yet by infringing on the rights to free speech such a law desecrates the freedoms the flag is supposed to represent.

Personally, I'd rather have a little poo stain on my flag that still has meaning then have a flag that doesn't symbolize freedom but is scotch clean.

Exactly the sort of thing I would go for there Simius. A wee poo stain, maybe a wee bit of wee too. Possibly a few burn marks, but no fresh poo and signs of smoke or current burning in progress.

If I had a flag with a bit of poo and burn marks, I could say it was not me that did it.

But still use the flag on special occasions and just say it has had some rough treatment, maybe blame my brother or someone.

The poo marks would represent the shite we have to deal with from "the man", and the burn marks would represent that we are not going to stand for it.

There's a bit of symbolism right there.

Prometheus · 08-28-2007, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Good to have you on board, Prometheus. But a slight criticism.

I think you only call the Union Flag a "Union Jack" when it is flying from the Jack Pole of a naval ship. Like the HMS Belfast.

I use my flag for cleaning the car, mopping up leaks, getting a grip on lids of stubborn jars, and any old job. It is rarely used on special occasions for any particular job though.

Its a sort of Jack of all trades.