Thu, 27 Sep 2001 07:08:00
Old blog entries - Flag Burning
Some people just don’t get freedom
Teacher Suspended For Allegedly Burning Flag
A sixth-grade teacher has been suspended from a Del Paso Heights school for allegedly burning part of an American flag in a classroom one week after the recent terrorist attacks.
The teacher, whose name has not been released, allegedly burned the corner of a flag with a lighter, school district superintendent Carl Mack Jr. said.
Tuesday night, district officials made a decision on the teacher’s fate, but, per district policy, the results were not made available.
“Generally in my past history, the steps have ranged from any disciplinary action that I feel is appropriate, all the way to termination,” Mack Jr. said.
The teacher also allegedly said some “inflammatory” statements, according to Mack Jr., including, “I can’t burn it all because it’s illegal.”
The teacher has been put on administrative leave with pay pending the decision by the district, Mack Jr. said.
“This flag has been up on everybody’s car, their house, to represent patriotism,” parent Sonny Tupuanay said. “For (him) to do this ... I don’t know.”
About 30 students witnessed the alleged burning, officials said, but most didn’t report the incident because they like the teacher.
You know, I understand the symbolic nature of the flag. In fact, just the other day during “The Patriot,” of all movies, I gave my poor wife, who has to listen to all my bullshit, a dissertation on why a lot of people don’t understand what the flag means.
I’ll summarize. :)
Basically, the flag is cloth that we, as a collective society, have agreed is the symbol of our nation. In wars before the advent of nifty things like radios and the Ground Assault Mobil Infantry Computerized Doohickey On My Back With A Heads Up Display invention, it was pretty imnpossible to knwo what was going on in battle. Soldiers communicated with flags, and your standard was the line. Wherever the flag was, you tried to go. If the flag was two hundred yards up the hill, your job was to fight to that point. If the flag broke and retreated, that was a signal that either your standard-bearer was a pussy, or you were to retreat and live to fight another day. It was an important symbol, one that stood for everything, that stood for your nation.
Our nation, among other things, represents the values we set forth in our laws and customs, the premiere among these being the Constitution of the United States of America. As I have stated before, I am a constructionist. I believe the Constitution is a fluid document, but must ALWAYS be altered with an eye toward the intent of the framers, not just the style of the times. Most of us think we know this document, but I’d like to call attention to the first amendment. Used daily the country over to defend the media, this amendment is designed to protect the individual and the organized media alike.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
In my humble opinion, BURNING THE FLAG IS AN EXPRESSION OF SPEECH. Political speech is still speech that should be protected.
We’ve had cases before on a local, state and federal level that have upheld the rights of hate groups to display swastikas in parades, fly the stars & bars, publish anti-everyone literature until the cows come home, but burn a flag and you’re a criminal?
That flies in the very face of freedom.
I would personally kick the crap out of anyone that tried to burn *my* flag. But I have neither the right nor the authority to abridge another man’s expression of displeasure with his country. The right to express such displeasure is what this entire nation was founded on. We were displeased, to say the least, with the rule of the English. Does anyone believe that nary a Union Jack was burned before, during and after the Revolutionary War? That’s a little far-fetched, dont’cha think? Why were they burned? As a political display of disgust. It bothered the King, and we knew it. Now we’re the King, and we’re outlawing something we should be protecting.
When a law protects the worst of us, it protects everyone. Example: Larry Flynt and the now famous Supreme Court case that founds the basis for our laws on protected parody. He parodied both a Campari ad and Jerry Falwell, who took exception to being portrayed as having had sex with his mother in an outhouse, so he sued. Larry won, and he’s a friggin’ sleazebag. :)
Millions of Americans have fought and died for the freedoms we have in this country. Let us not allow misguided patriotism and blind emotion steal that freedom. I am officially and forever against banning the burning of flags as a form of political expression. I find it hypocritical and morally outrageous, to steal Larry Elder’s catch phrase, that in a country allegedly dedicated to the cause of freedom, we still see this as some kind of threat. People have, and are going to, die for our freedom. We honor them by holding the flag as an object of respect and by protecting the rights of those who disagree with us.
Posted by JimK at 07:08 AM on September 27, 2001
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#1 Posted by bmvfd3209
on 08/05 at 09:04 AM -
Jim, I agree with you 100% here. Flag burning is protected speech. I would love to beat any flag-burner to within an inch of his life, let him heal, then DO IT AGAIN! But my great-uncle and my grandfather both fought in WWII, my father served during Vietnam (yes it was a support role in Germany, thank God or I might not be here) but he served, and was willing to do anything needed for this country. So, while it makes me EXTREMELY MAD AND VIOLENT to see people burning the flag, that is their right, but it’s also mine to “speak freely” by using as many fire extinguishers as necessary to put out that fire.
But, that still doesn’t change that this teacher is rightfully suspended. This person started a fire, IN A SCHOOL, that is endangering students’ lives, and therefore, this person should be fired!