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The Flag Question
Yesterday as I was driving to Salt Lake for a meeting, I tuned into Radio West on KUER. The program was on the controversy surrounding defacing the flag. The show grew out of the case of Kris Winsness, who burned a smiley face on an American flag and hung it up in front of his garage in Salt Lake County. He’s been prosecuted under a state law and now the case is in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Senator Orrin Hatch was on the program along with other guests and they brought out all the usual arguments for and against such laws. As I listened, I found myself wondering why people spend so much energy on this. I love and respect the flag, but I think we’re wasting a lot of time and energy trying to force others to not “disrespect” it. Will this nation really be better off if no one ever defaces a flag again? I can’t see how it will make any difference at all.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend in May before the Supreme Court ruling on the display of the Ten Commandments on public property. He was ready to protest and fight to ensure that the Ten Commandments could be displayed. He was aghast that I didn’t feel the same way. Similar to my feelings about the flag, I don’t really care whether or not the Ten Commandments is displayed at my local town hall. This seems more an issue of convention to me than one of real consequence.
These issues seem to be particular points of concern among conservatives and they are one of the places I find myself out of step with my fellow conservatives. So, help me see the light. What is it about amendments to protect the flag and strong feelings about the Ten Commandments that are in keeping with conservative ideology?
Posted by windley on August 18, 2005 06:37 AM
