Flag burning poll

[Citizen James]

As an informal, unscientific attempt to get a feel for how serious a problem this is, I just want to know how many people have actually seen a flag burning within the US.  Or if the only footage comes from 60's protests and Iranian crouds.

[adam]

Only in footage of the middle east demonstrations.

You what...rather than going through this hassel and debate over flag burning, why doesn't the government just make them out of an inflammable material? Like what they do with baby pajamas.

It would save us a lot of effort and it would take one fringe issue out of congress's coffer.

[Gabu]

I've seen idiots from Middle Eastern countries doing it, but that's it.

[minionofmidas]

They used to do that at Iron Maiden concerts for a while. Burn the Union Jack and the flag of whatever country they were playing in.

At least I was told this once.

Anyways, I've certainly seen footage of Frankfurt Kurds burning the Turkish flag on the roof of the Waldstadion after an Eintracht vs Galatasaray UEFA cup match.

[Nym90]

I don't recall if I've seen it covered of it happening in the USA or not. Even this question isn't necessarily a good gauge of how significant a problem it is, as obviously if it did happen in the USA it would probably receive a disproportionate amount of media coverage each time it happened.

Like any event that is very rare, coverage of it will make it seem more frequent than it really is. But even given that, I still haven't seen any documented cases of it that I can recall in the USA.

[MODU]

May 30, 2006

"Vandals burn flag at Mineville VFW"

Vandals crept in sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning, removed the American flag from the flagpole at the Mineville Post 5802 VFW and burned it.

"We usually put the flag out on Monday morning but since we are all getting older, I told the guys to put it out on Sunday night," said Post Commander Pete Rotella. "When Jack Waldron got here this morning, the flag pole was broke off at the ground and the flag was lying on the ground and it was burned."

State Police were notified and a trooper from the Westport station investigated the incident and took the evidence with him to be tested.

During an award ceremony and VFW dinner, Moriah Town Supervisor Tom Scozzafava addressed the crowd saying, "The burning of the flag is just disgusting. I cannot believe someone would do such a disgraceful thing, especially on Memorial Day."

Rotella said the burned flag is the latest in a long history of vandalism at the VFW. Previous incidents include a POW/MIA flag being stolen and also an American flag being turned upside down.

"I hope they find the person or people who did this," Rotella said. "This is a disgrace."

State police are continuing the investigation.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

That's already illegal though, since the flag wasn't their property.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Where's the option for those of us who burn people?

[MODU]

That's already illegal though, since the flag wasn't their property.

The question was if you have seen it happen, not if it were legal or not.  I'm just giving you a recent occurrence.

[Alcon]

That's already illegal though, since the flag wasn't their property.

The question was if you have seen it happen, not if it were legal or not.  I'm just giving you a recent occurrence.

I don't see how it happening increases the justification for making it illegal.

[MODU]

That's already illegal though, since the flag wasn't their property.

The question was if you have seen it happen, not if it were legal or not.  I'm just giving you a recent occurrence.

I don't see how it happening increases the justification for making it illegal.

Again, that is not the point of this thread.  there are two other threads about that issue.

[Alcon]

That's already illegal though, since the flag wasn't their property.

The question was if you have seen it happen, not if it were legal or not.  I'm just giving you a recent occurrence.

I don't see how it happening increases the justification for making it illegal.

Again, that is not the point of this thread.  there are two other threads about that issue.

Oh, sorry.  I am an idiot.

[MODU]

Oh, sorry.  I am an idiot.

hahaha . . . no, just confused by multiple specific threads on the same general topic. 

[Nym90]

That's already illegal though, since the flag wasn't their property.

Right, and I would favor it being illegal to steal a flag belonging to someone else and burning it, as that is clearly theft and descecration of someone else's property. It should also be (and is) illegal to burn something in public if the fire causes a danger to someone else.

But if you own the flag yourself, and the burning of it isn't in a place where the fire has any chance of spreading and hurting anyone, it should be legal.

[TomC]

I haven't actually seen it live, but I did see this cool protest where a group of antiwar protestors dipped the flag in soapy water to cleanse it. The ROTC was there a flipped any time the flag got near the ground. It was kind of surreal, actually.

[minionofmidas]

I haven't actually seen it live, but I did see this cool protest where a group of antiwar protestors dipped the flag in soapy water to cleanse it. The ROTC was there a flipped any time the flag got near the ground. It was kind of surreal, actually.

LOL, that's funny.