Angry Mob Chases Would-Be Flag Burner Off LSU Campus

Social media, smoshcial media. How can it be 'at fault'? It's just a handy tool that can be used for many uses. Don't suggest it's 'at fault'; there are those in this country that would try to have it outlawed, like the libs tried to pass the Fairness Doctrine.

Burning of the American flag is a civil liberty just as prominent as your right to free speech. By not allowing an individual the right to exercise that right means you only agree with liberty when it is what you like.

America doesn't work that way. You don't have to like flag burning and neither do I but you must respect an individuals right before you see yours stripped away also.

Indeed he has the right to burn a flag if he so chooses. Just as the WBC has the right to travel to funerals and cause families additional misery.

But speech means things, and has consequences. You may end up pissing a lot of people off. That's not to say they should be accosted or otherwise harmed.

On a side note, he may have wanted to try this at Berkeley as opposed to LSU. He would have fit right over there.

reply to post by mishigas


Strawman much? Criminal activity and free speech are two different things.

To your next point, no one is blaming social media. I'm simply pointing out that it's another weapon in the arsenal and we should all be alert to both it's positive and negative uses.

reply to post by kosmicjack

Strawman much? Criminal activity and free speech are two different things.

Strawman? I merely asked you what the difference was between Haas' freedom of speech and Jim Gilchrist's? But you prefer to characterize the crowd's sentiments thusly:

Sad that the crowd can't see their own shallow patriotism and abject nationalism and sad that this kid is such an attention whore.

So anyone who defends the flag is guilty of "shallow patriotism and abject nationalism"? Many millions of Americans would strongly disagree with you!

It seems like you dislike any expression of patriotism that doesn't fit into your own narrow view of things.

To your next point, no one is blaming social media. I'm simply pointing out that it's another weapon in the arsenal and we should all be alert to both it's positive and negative uses.

That's intuitively obvious. And it had the potential to sidetrack the discussion. Where was the 'negative use' at LSU?

The left is famous for disrupting free speech. The right rarely uses it, unless they are pushed to the limit. And this instance - where a student was defending a thief, arsonist, and vandal by attempting to burn the flag - was one of those times.

reply to post by kro32

Burning of the American flag is a civil liberty just as prominent as your right to free speech. By not allowing an individual the right to exercise that right means you only agree with liberty when it is what you like.

America doesn't work that way. You don't have to like flag burning and neither do I but you must respect an individuals right before you see yours stripped away also.

You're also allowed to shave your head, wear a swastika, and go into a black inner city neighborhood and recruit for the KKK. It wouldn't be too smart, though.

reply to post by mishigas


I very much agree. My post was simply in response to those who said this man doesn't have the right or shouldn't be allowed to burn a flag.

If he chooses too he also accepts the consequences of those actions however.

Originally posted by mishigas
So anyone who defends the flag is guilty of "shallow patriotism and abject nationalism"? Many millions of Americans would strongly disagree with you!

It seems like you dislike any expression of patriotism that doesn't fit into your own narrow view of things.

LoL! It seems you enjoy false dichotomies as well. Have fun with that.

As for me, I'll disagree vehemently with flag burning but support passionately any citizen's right to do it. It's the ultimate expression of free speech and the very freedom our soldiers thought they were defending these last ten years of endless war when really they were just shoring up profits. Unfortunately, patriotism has been so perfectly married to "supporting our troops", yellow ribbons and Fourth of July BBQs that any effort to express patriotism which doesn't fit mainstream ideas is excoriated.

Originally posted by BadMagician

Wake up to the [color=gold]division that people in charge continue to bring to us. Hey, you see where this story came from? Another Fox affilliate.

Fox and it's affilliates hadn't even heard about it when I reported the incident in my thread a day ago.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The thread has different videos,
one taken by the editor of the campus newspaper.

So I ask you, who is being divisive here?
You, or Fox.


David Grouchy

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