Monday, June 27, 2005

Flag Burning

There aren't too many positions I held in college that I still hold now. But I was, and still am, against the flag burning amendment. People who burn flags obviously intend it to be political speech. Even if it's not technically speech, I think it's best to err on the side of more freedom, not less. However, I have added some conservative reasons for my opposition:

  • Why martyr these fire-bugs who are so obviously seeking our attention?
  • By all means, let the fifth column reveal itself.
  • Buying all those flags to burn is good for the economy.

But as usual, Mark Steyn nails it:
A flag has to be worth torching. When a flag gets burned, that's not a sign of its weakness but of its strength. If you can't stand the heat of your burning flag, get out of the superpower business. It's the left that believes the state can regulate everyone into thought-compliance. The right should understand that the battle of ideas is won out in the open.

Amen

No comments: