Mexican activist attempts to burn American Flag-key word "attempts" , page 3

Let's have a lynch mob mentality folks!! Just get physical when someone exercizes their Constitutional Rights; thats a GREAT way to protect and defend..NONSENSE!!

We do NOT take any oaths in this nation to protect and defend a piece of cloth, no matter the patterns on it. We, at least those of us who have served in the Armed Forces and public officials, etc. take an oath to support and defend the CONSTITUTION of the USA, NOT the symbol of cloth that they make kids stand in front of and recite some pro govenment balderdash to every morning; it is PROPAGANDA, plain and simple.

MOST countries on this planet do NOT force it's citizens to stand and put their hands on certain parts of their bodies and repeat some verse that intends to promote blind obedience to the powers that be, namely the poltical structure, which we all know is as corrupt as the Cosa Nostra, maybe more so. At least a decent Mafioso will keep the law of OMERTA in place and have some allegiance to family before the State.

When I was in military school all those years, and then the Air Force, I felt a tingle when I saw the flag and heard the martial music; we were a different nation then. Now, we are the chattel for the corporate bosses and their political minions to use and abuse as they wish, spied on, searched and held without cause, rights denied, votes stolen, secrecy at maximum levels, government sponsored terrorism ( see 9-11 ) and on and on.

We are no longer a nation that can hold it's head high and claim moral and legal superiority over anyone else; we murder, we torture, we steal trillions of dollars, we steal whole nations for oil and money.

Who are WE in this day and age to be trumpeting about the high ground to ANY other country? Habeas Corpus, GONE. Privacy rights, GONE. Warrants required before a search or detention, GONE. Giving captured soldiers Red Cross access and respect for the Geneva Conventions, GONE.

WE are the rouge state, WE are the terror sponsors, WE are the nightmare of a looming police state, WE are the nation with NO health care for millions of it's citizens, WE are the premiere producer of nuclear and toxic waste, WE are the nation that says nothing when a Court stops an election and gives it to their cronies, etc.

I could go on and on..SURE America is great, or used to be..and can be great again. If we got rid of EVERY politician now in Washington and started over with Lincolnian type oratory and debate and real input from the people, and NOT the corporate bosses who run us now, we might have a chance. The America we knew ithe 1950's and even 60's is GONE forever, unless WE bring it back, and we CANNOT do that by denying Rights to ANYONE.

Anyone who interferes with the burning of a flag, or any other form of political protect, should be arrested and charged with assault, theft and civil rights violations. How DARE anyone go against the CONSTITUTION in the name of the ' flag '!? The Constitution is our only hope, properly comprehended and acted upon; the flag can be changed by Congressional fiat and so is in flux at all times.

Will you be so rabid about protecting a piece of cloth if it had the NAU symbols on it? When Bush and his gang give us away legally into the NAU scheme, will you slavishly protect THAT flag as well? Why not? it will be the new American flag ( as well as Mexico's and Canada's as well ) and so you would get all huffed up if some political protestor burns it, right? Or will you?

Throwing stiff arm salutes or worshipping a piece of cloth may be the way for YOU to express your patriotism, but remember that when you get to Court, it will be the Constitution that defends you, and not the legions of screaming ninnies wailing because their precious piece of cloth was used to promote discussion about political issues.

I do not care if it a Mexican or American or Bosnian or the last cannibal on the Congo, the RIGHT to free expression must NOT be thrown away by the emotional ravings of the flag wavers. To them the law means nothing, the Constitution means nothing, only the satisfaction of base and emotionally bereft desires to act out and appear to be some kind of patriot..so sad.

The very people who think that they are protecting the ' flag ' by destroying the Constitution will be the downfall of us all, and themselves. they just cannot see past the hatred and emotion ; the big picture alludes them. Flags and other appurtances of any regime are there to inspire nationalism and belief that one nation is ' special ' and all others are lesser. We cannot take the high ground in the world as long as we are doing such a crappy job of protecting people at home.

Let them burn flags all day long; most are made in China anyway and that means that they will always have a goodly supply to sell us at inflated prices; the so called patriots can wave their flags and pretend to be good citizens while the Constitution is slowly done away with by the ignorance of the masses, who see an immediate and emotional response as valid and appropriate. God help us get their eyes opened.