[badfaith]

Was watching telly recently, when some news footage of flag burning in a nation other than my own (won't name it as I do not wish to reinforce negative stereotypes) displayed a group of otherwise well presented gentlemen torching a crude marker pen on bed sheet replica of the British flag. It made me ponder a couple of things-

1. How to deter it
2. What's all the fuss about?

with regard to the first point, I concluded that it could be dealt with in one of two ways: Firstly, pass a law that states that our nation's flag is not genuine unless it is made of asbestos, and although the flag you are burning may appear to be that of our nation, the very fact that it burns is testament to the fact it is indeed not our flag, and therefore must be representative of some other nation whose flag closely resembles ours but for it's combustibility.
Or secondly, begin exporting Flags by the lorry load to them with the message: "courtesy of the Government of Great Britain/ United States of America/ other nation, object of said burning"
Since the idea is make a statement on our value system (or lack thereof), would they know what to make of it? Either way, it would be amusing to see their bemusement on the newsment!
Better yet, charge them a reasonable rate for each genuine quality flag, with good deals on bumper orders! ... ah the triumph of capitalism over adversity!

On the second point, does anyone really get that steamed about it anyway? The flag of "my nation" is symbol designed and conceived for the very purpose of representing the tyranny and conquest of England over all other areas of Britain, something I'd be glad to see the back of anyway! Long live the republic of England! (since we're devolving anyway, it seems that Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all have assemblies of elected representatives Where England does not, maybe making England the most undemocratic nation on earth!)

Anyway, enough of my gripes and ponderances concerning my flag... how about yours?

[RFNAPLES]

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that defacing a flag is an act of protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as established in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989), and reaffirmed in U.S. v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990). It is unconstitutional for a government (whether federal, state, or municipality) to prohibit the desecration of a flag, due to its status as "symbolic speech."
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[badfaith]

You are quite right, and I believe that the US is the only country with such specific laws concerning the treatment of it's flag, Britain is very particular about the display, positioning, correct manner of handling etc. of it's flag, but has not gone so far as to make a definitive statement about the destruction, or defacement of it.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, or perhaps it is reflective of national character or something, but it seems that the people in the US get more wound up by flag burning than anyone else ( not being anti- US or anything, just a perception I have which I'm happy to be corrected on)... it's only cloth... and while the flag may burn, if we are secure in the fact that what it represents cannot be destroyed, let 'em burn!

Just amazes me how people in my country still cling to this Idea of Britishness, and wave their union flags while simultaneously both ignoring the centuries of oppression and conquest it was created to signify, and then are happy to bang their fists about democracy and freedom!

I's easy to get swept up in national pride, but I just wanted to see if I was alone in how I regard the flag of my nation.

[telefunker]

patriotism is mammalian tribal nonsense

fuck dying for a design in the wind or some old dog in a government office
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no fat chicks