From: Jim Ray <jmr@shopmiami.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 15:38:50 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Flag Burning...
Message-ID: <3.0.16.19970617032250.0d074edc@pop.gate.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



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At 09:52 AM 6/13/97 -6, Peter Trei wrote:
...

>Think about this:
>
>Would you rather people did not burn the flag because:
>
>1. They'll be thrown in the slammer if they do.
>2. The[y] revere the values for which it stands, and will not descrate a
>   meaningful symbol of these values.
>
>In (2), we can look at the (very rare) individuals who *do* burn the
>flag, and determine for ourselves if they have a valid point to 
>convey.  
>
>In (1), we'll never know.
>
>For Congress to deny the freedom to burn the flag is a desecration of what
>the flag stands for - a descration of the flag by the government itself.

(I'm on Ray's FCPUNKS, please cc me directly, my replies may be delayed
and this may have already been covered anyway. Probably was.)

1. Burning is a proper way to dispose of old flags, according to my
old boyscout handbook, so I guess this is thoughtcrime.

2. Why not outlaw desecrating the Bill of Rights? (Oh, yeah. Congress
does that daily right now...)

3. Since when was "the flag" sacred, anyway? Doesn't something have
to be sacred for it to be desecrated? Isn't this a secular country?

4. Doesn't this seem like a way _not_ to discuss the sea of red ink
that this country is currently drowning in, and just stir up folks'
emotions instead? Sure does to me...I wish veterans and others who
get hot under the collar about this would get 1/8 as pissed about
the national debt.

5. Burn my flag (or copy of the Bill of Rights) and you'll probably
wind up shot. Burn your own flag/copy and watch me yawn. This law
is a *particularly* stupid one.
JMR

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Regards, Jim Ray <jmr@shopmiami.com>
DNRC Minister of Encryption Advocacy

One of the "legitimate concerns of law enforcement" seems to be
that I was born innocent until proven guilty and not the other
way around. -- me

http://shopmiami.com/prs/jimray/    
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