Bitcoin Forum

Why is it illegal to burn a dollar, but not the flag of the United States?
Burning the flag should be prosecuted under article III, section 3, clause 1 of the Consitution; Treason.

Black Lives Matter protesters burning the flag:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZNscX-Dvw

 It's quite simple.  Flag desecration laws have been contested at the level of the Supreme court whereas currency mutilation/defacement laws have not.  It may be that the Supreme court will also see that as an inalienable right give the appropriate circumstance.

 “The hard fact is that sometimes we must make decisions we do not like. We make them because they are right, right in the sense that the law and the Constitution, as we see them, compel the result and so great is our commitment to the process that, except in the rare case, we do not pause to express distaste for the result, perhaps for fear of undermining a valued principle that dictates the decision. This is one of those rare cases.
 Though symbols often are what we ourselves make of them, the flag is constant in expressing beliefs Americans share, beliefs in law and peace and that freedom which sustains the human spirit. The case here today forces recognition of the costs to which those beliefs commit us. It is poignant but fundamental that the flag protects those who hold it in contempt.”

- Justice Anthony Kennedy

The 1st. amendment does not protect everything, and that can be easily overturned. I should then be able to burn down the Federal Reserve and the dollar because it's devalued and causes suffering.

I have a very simple solution for this. Revoke the voting rights of anyone, who burns the American flag. If someone doesn't feel proud of his country, then he has no right to take part in the elections.

I don't believe in the revoking of right as a result of burning of flag. I agree it is wrong and it amount to not proud of your country but the issue is at that point, if you are the one, will you be proud of your country that fails to protect you? These are fundamental issues that needs to be addressed. At a point I might not be proud of my country but at another point, I will bless God for making me a citizen.

I say revoke citizenship, it is clearly treason.


Can you elaborate on this? There is not a country where you are safer, and have as many opportunities as a minority or member of the LGBT community.

Fair enough.

If they have the courage to burn the national flag today, then what makes you think that tomorrow if some foreign power invades their country, they will not side with the invaders? In China, you would get the capital punishment for something like this.

 The 1st amendment codifies a few basic rights and restricts gov't from passing laws interfering with such rights.  It acts as a guarantee of your basic freedoms which you already had anyway.  It doesn't protect everything but I didn't say it did!  It protects freedom of speech, press, religion and lawful assembly; it can't be easily overturned.
 There are a couple of problems with you  burning down the Federal reserve and the dollar.  Firstly, the Federal Reserve is a system which you might have trouble igniting and secondly, most dollars are held as electronic digits on computer systems nationally and the notes in circulation are distributed widely across the country in citizens' wallets, purses, cash registers and mattresses.

 If you wanted to burn a small stack of dollar bills in a controlled fashion to make a political statement, you would probably escape punishment under the currency defacement/mutilation laws since you are exercising a protected right.

 N.B. I am not a lawyer.  The advice given above is written for entertainment purposes only.
 

can't comment on the legal issues surrounding the flag burning but they should certainly be arrested for belonging to a terrorist organisation that has murdered policemen

I will disagree with that your position. But the fact that I am not convenient with my country at the moment is not a necessity that I will now denounce my country. I love my country and I will even fight to protect its integrity but not that I will agree with all its position. Protest happened all over the country even over here, people go extreme in a way of getting the right audience but that doesn't mean they will side the enemy against the state. That is purely Treason.

These idiots who burn the flag are just retarded. They are being thoroughly brainwashed by the leftist politicians, for their own advantage. IMO, those who burn the flags must be stripped of their voting rights. If they repeat the offense, then their citizenship also should be revoked. But most importantly, the politicians who provoke these protests must be tried for treason.

 Get a grip!  You're denigrating the mentally handicapped while spouting nonsense.  You can't rendered a person stateless.  Natural-born U.S. citizens may not have their citizenship revoked against their will.

Through a number of cases the Supreme Court has created a framework for speech and expression that is NOT protected under the first amendment. This includes actions that deter from a legitimate government function that isn't directly related to the speech. This includes, burning a draft card (war effort) or burning money (regulating commerce), but not burning the flag.

If it were up to me, it would be legal to burn both.  Patriotism is just a nice sounding word for nationalism.  It is as ugly and outdated a notion as any religion or sect.  It encourages taking pride in, or even credit for, achievements you didn't accomplish or contribute towards.  It is lazy, boastful and belligerent.  At its worst, the divisive nature of it polarises differences and enshrines intolerance.  All to reinforce the primitive notion that arbitrarily drawn lines on the map still mean something.  

Don't just stop with the US flag, burn all of them.  Every single last national flag.  They're irrelevant and obsolete.  To hell with patriotism.

I completely agree, those who burn the national flag should be prosecuted as criminals and should have their citizenship revoked/denied the social monthly benefit/deported with the lifetime ban, it should be considered a treason no questions asked, since the only ones who burn the other countries flags are people who hate that county and terrorists.

" Natural-born U.S. citizens may not have their citizenship revoked against their will." well that's what I hate in todays world. The people have more power than a country, if you're ordered something by the state, you're bound to do it. None of the people can be more powerful than the state/government if we're considering the law.
 

That's the thinking that got Europe where it is now, getting drowned in rapefugees. Also, you must be from some progressive multicultural country, yeah?

I wouldn't call for treason, prison time would be ok if I were to say anything or a community service for a month or more.

Are nation-states so terrified of dissenting opinions that they must resort to force in order to quell them?

As a famous general once said, "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

The world would be a better place if crimes only existed when there was an actual victim. A group doesn't really exist, it's only an abstract created by the human mind.

 True enough.  Compartmentalization is a psychological defence mechanism (and I'm pretty sure it's subconscious too); maybe that's why it's so easy to rally people around a flag.

Trump did say anyone who burns the flag should lose their citizenship because they do not stand for their country in such an act is performed.
Wouldn't be just like if someone went to the white house and brought down the flag (although they would be arrested before they brought it down) and pissed on it right on the front lawn. ::)

Let's demand death penalty for flag burning, but make dollar burning legal again. Reason: Too many government officials risk criminal prosecution and there are relatively few flags left compared to dollars.

On the other hand, burning any fabric should be legal if the temperature is below zero. Maybe people couldn't afford heating and the flag is all they have left to save them from freezing to death?

Exactly. Forty-eight of the U.S. states and Congress had outlawed flag-burning before the Supreme Court’s 1989 ruling. It's refreshing to see others that still stand with our nation.

Hmm.... Texas v. Johnson in 1989. But it is ironic that the judges who gave the majority opinion included conservative judges such as Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy. Anyway... I just hope that Trump will be able to appoint 2-3 judges during his term, and overturn these stupid rulings.

Prison for burning a fabric? then those who use its underwears should be hanged? In a sane society all the actions being recommended are not going to solve it if the state fails to do what is necessary. When people are determined all those suggestions are just childs play. prison time, treason even death. We have seen leaders of the past lay their lives in the course they believe in. Example is the uprising in Egypt some years back when someone burnt himself. What is the importance of flag to that kind of individual? what matters is the State should do the right thing to forestall scenarios that give room for that...

If you aren't allowed to burn "your" flag, it means that free speech is not really 100% valid in your country.

It's just a retarded symbol anyway.
Can I burn a book about democracy?
If yes, then why not a flag?


-sf-

This protest came to nothing lead. Yes, it talks about the social tension in the society. This unpleasant trend that may turn into mass protests against the government.

as per Donald Trump: Flag burning should be illegal. I read this news on Yahoo News. According to Donald Trump's Tweet, context goes this way: "Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!"
 
In my opinion. Burning of flag is legal. The First Amendment, which protects our freedom of speech, is the most precious part of the Bill of Rights. As disgusting as the ideas expressed by those who would burn the flag are, they remain protected by the First Amendment. It shows a little harm to the country. This is only a normal way for people in expressing their emotions for the country.