Commentary: Flag burning--this was written by a high school student!

[davidinalameda]

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/News/FlipSide/200307259


In the more than 200 years the Constitution has existed, no amendment has ever limited the first one. That alone should give pause and cause reflection when confronted with the knee-jerk patriotism that tends to follow any mention of flag desecration, and which is the basis for the most recent attempt to pass a flag desecration amendment.

Such an amendment has repercussions far beyond turning dissenters into criminals — it could conceivably be used to stamp out constitutional criticism of the government and would undermine the freedom of speech and expression the flag symbolizes.

One glaring issue facing the flag desecration amendment is that it does not stipulate what constitutes a flag and what constitutes desecration. Is a flag with anything less or more than 50 stars really a flag? One with 12 stripes on incorrect colors? How about crude renderings of the flag on cardboard?

[zbdent]

1. Hmm, crude renderings . . . could this student be

referring to W's crayon rendition of his signature?