Over the July 4th weekend, Americans celebrated the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and there was a violent feud being carried on in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Supreme Court had made a ruling that divided the court in half, but once their verdict came in they had decided that those radicals who burn the American flag are protected by the Constitution under the First Amendment.
There are very few in this country who are against the whole idea of free speech, but where does this right end? It seems to this writer that no one has the "right" to destroy the very symbol of our democracy. It is against the law to kill the Bald Eagle; why is it all right to burn the flag and, with such an action, show disdain for our country and what it stands for?
All of us have been inspired by the picture of the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima during World War II: these men fought and died so that the United States could be free during this century. With this vision in mind, it becomes intolerant to stand by and watch hoodlums burn the Stars and Stripes, and make a mockery of our justice system. We can all be good Christians in the sense that we can turn the other cheek when someone provokes us, but if someone is literally ruining the symbol of our liberty, it is time to give them punishment, not protect them. The First Amendment guarantees responsible opposing views, not criminal actions.
There are many people in the country who feel exactly this way, and one of them is Democratic Representative Douglas Applegate, who looked at the Supreme Court decision and said: "I'm mad as hell. We've witnessed the greatest travesty in the annals of jurisprudence . . . . Are there any limitations? Are they going to allow fornication in Times Square at high noon" (Jacoby 19)?
Applegate brings up a very important point: how far can we afford to let the concept of "free speech" go? We are members of a civilized nation, and in...