Flag burning

The subject of flag burning has come up with my last post and I thought I'd add my two cents for what its worth. (although apparently it's worth more now, I read that it cost more to make a penny than what its worth) As much as I love my flag I realize it is just a symbol of our country. (I am very proud of my country most times but please don't get me started on our fearless leader.) A country that many have died for over the years so that we may have our free speech and enjoy our many other rights and freedoms. With these rights come the good and the bad. I may hate the ideals of the Ku Klux Klan as well as the white surpremisists but they have that freedom of speech to back them up. It doesn't mean I have to listen to them or believe in their causes. Most rational people don't. Burning the flag makes a strong statement and is certainly a way to draw attention to your cause. It's not a method I would choose, it seems rather hateful. I cringe when I see clips of nuts from other countries that hate us get so much glee from burning our flag, I would not want to be lumped into the same catagory as them or with the other few countries that ban flag burning.

One right that I do believe we have but the government does not, is to see the flag draped caskets of soldiers coming home from war. Would that fall under Freedom of the Press? I think that we should see that and what it cost this country to police the world and its problems. I believe that we are a strong nation and have a duty to not stand by and let tyrants terrorize their own people as well as us here at home but I fear our reputation is being tarnished worldwide. Of course there are some people that would not want their grief over the loss of their loved one on tv for all the world to see but those caskets have no names attached to them. It's enough for me to know that every one of them is someone's son or husband or father or brother or uncle or grandfather or daughter or mother, sister or aunt or grandmother perhaps. We need to be reminded of the human cost. God forbid if it was someone I loved I would want the world to see that casket and the price they paid. I would want them to see my grief. I would want them to be uncomfortable, life is like that. Now go out and celebrate our country and the rights and freedoms that we are lucky to have.