Remember when Obama was attacked not putting his hand over his heart?

[Bonobo]

Yes, it was fake. There was a good explanation. Whatever. It doesn't matter.

Is that any different than making a big fuss over the flag being set on fire?

No, it is not.

If you object to the flag being burned because it is a symbol, you're setting an arbitrary line.

Why not set it at the flag being allowed to fray?

Or be flown in the rain?

Or not taking off your hat at the anthem?

Or not standing? Or not placing hand on heart?

Should not all those things be done by EVERYONE because somewhere there are boy scouts and immigrants who are doing them respectfully and with tears in their eyes?

[Lawlbringer]

1. The is the best thing I've read all day. n/t

[leftyohiolib]

2. remeber the lapel flag pin

oh btw when a flag is destroyed properly it is burned

[rhett o rick]

3. I completely agree. How I show my patriotism is my right. nm

[HopeHoops]

4. How about the shrub putting his hand over his beer gut?

[Bonobo]

5. Here.

[joeybee12]

6. Must have been the sushi, he's thinking...nt

[Bonobo]

9. This.

[HopeHoops]

10. No, that's the one where he's holding his John Thomas. There's another worse one.

[Bonobo]

12. Really? He did it twice? What a doofus!

[HopeHoops]

13. Twice? Have you ever seen him with his hand anywhere near where his heart should be?

Yeah, okay, he doesn't have one - but where it SHOULD be.

[phleshdef]

7. I object to the flag burning because it hurts matters instead of helping them.

I could give less of a shit about the symbolic aspects of it. The problem is that its a gloriously stupid thing to do if you actually intend to win hearts and minds. It serves as nothing more than a negative distraction that detracts from whatever good message a certain protest might be trying to sell. It does nothing to further any causes. It doesn't solve any problems. Its the kind of thing that ruins a movement.

[Bonobo]

8. I support your well thought out objection.

But that is a far, far different matter than objecting due to magical beliefs, ritual attention or because someone somewhere attributes semi-religious devotion to it.

[phleshdef]

14. Yea, "America The Religion" is a bunch of small minded BS.

But unforunately, its very popular small minded BS that a lot of people buy into, good citizens and bad ones. We have to be able to keep our message accessible to those people if we expect to get anywhere. Flag burning is one of those things that is an automatic door shutter to a great many of people that may otherwise come around to our side. When trying to win a society wide ideological argument, you gotta play it safe with the small minded BS that said society is sensitive to.

[Fuzz]

11. I was at a fire department fund raiser last night and this guy on the mic asked everyone

to say the pledge. Everyone just put their hands on their hearts and said it, but there wasn't a flag to be seen. I was looking for one so I could face it, but there was no flag, none. I thought that was so weird, no one thinking about it, just doing it, it means nothing just a routine.

Just an observation.