House Approves Flag-Burning Amendment

$pvcxGhxztCasey · Jun 22, 2005

House Approves Flag-Burning Amendment

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer 1 minute ago

WASHINGTON - The House on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment that would give Congress the power to ban desecration of the American flag, a measure rejected twice by the Senate in the past decade but expected to get a closer vote this year.
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By a 286-130 vote — eight more than needed — House members approved the amendment by the required two-thirds majority after a debate over whether such a ban would run afoul of the Constitution's free-speech protections.

If approved by a similar two-thirds majority in the Senate, the amendment would then move to the states for ratification. It would have to be approved by three-fourths, or 38, of the 50 state legislatures to become the 28th amendment to the Constitution.

Sixty-three senators, four short of two-thirds needed, voted for the amendment in 1995 and again in 2000. With Republicans increasing their majority in last fall's election, activists on both sides of the issue said the amendment has its pass chance ever of passing this year. But a rough count by The Associated Press shows 34 — one more than needed to defeat it — either as having voted against the amendment in the past or committed publicly to opposing it.

Supporters said the measure reflected patriotism that deepened after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and they accused detractors of being out of touch with public sentiment.

"Ask the men and women who stood on top of the (World) Trade Center," said Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham, R-Calif. "Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment."

But Rep. Jerrold Nadler (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., said, "If the flag needs protection at all, it needs protection from members of Congress who value the symbol more than the freedoms that the flag represents."

The measure was designed to overturn a 1989 decision by the Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 that flag burning was a protected free-speech right. That ruling threw out a 1968 federal statute and flag-protection laws in 48 states. The law was a response to anti-Vietnam war protesters setting fire to the American flag at their demonstrations.

The proposed one-line amendment to the Constitution reads, "The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." For the language to be added to the Constitution, it must be approved not only by two-thirds of each chamber but also by 38 states within seven years.

Each time the proposed amendment has come to the House floor, it has reached the required two-thirds majority. But the measure has always died in the Senate, falling short of the 67 votes needed.

But last year's elections gave Republicans a four-seat pickup in the Senate, and now proponents and critics alike say the amendment stands within a vote or two of reaching the two-thirds requirement in that chamber.

By most counts, 65 current senators have voted for or said they intend to support the amendment, two shy of the crucial tally. More than a quarter of current senators were not members of that chamber during the last vote.

The Senate is expected to consider the measure after the July 4th holiday.

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The amendment is H.J. Res 10.

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On the Net:

House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov

Senate: http://www.senate.gov
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Banning flag burning is violating our freedom of speech. I don't know when flag burning would come into play at anytime during my lifetime, but I like to think if I want to set fire to Ol' Glory, I can do so without thinking twice.

Besides, it's JUST A FUCKING FLAG.

Mark · Jun 22, 2005

Nice to see Congress is focusing on the most important things in American society.

minusxerø · Jun 22, 2005

Forget finding bin Laden, this is the real shit.

Whimsicality · Jun 23, 2005

This is what happens when people take patriotism way to seriously.

...I really hope senate doesn't pass this.

Todd · Jun 23, 2005

I'm with Casey. I don't see myself ever burning the flag, but if I ever wanted to douse a flag with gasoline in an oxygen-rich room and throw a match on it, I should be allowed to.

Glenn · Jun 23, 2005

Meh...I don't really care. I won't burn a flag. Why would I?

Jila · Jun 23, 2005

lame.

Link04 · Jun 23, 2005

Heh....who knew a rectangular piece of fabric would cause such a stir.

If this passes, I'll burn one in the fucking street the day after it's through.

Jila · Jun 23, 2005

Originally posted by Link04@Jun 22 2005, 07:49 PM
Heh....who knew a rectangular piece of fabric would cause such a stir.

If this passes, I'll burn one in the fucking street the day after it's through.
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strangely, i was thinking the exact same thing.

Glenn · Jun 23, 2005

It's the nature of humans; when we see something that is restricted, we do it...even if it's the first time we thought about it.

Jila · Jun 23, 2005

Originally posted by Glenn@Jun 22 2005, 08:00 PM
It's the nature of humans; when we see something that is restricted, we do it...even if it's the first time we thought about it.
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of course. if we werent like that, we would all be our parents' puppets.

Tomi · Jun 23, 2005

Oh noes. It's just a fucking flag. Get the fuck over it and stop terrorism already. <_<

Justin · Jun 23, 2005

I don't really see why an American would want to burn a flag anyway, but they should still have the right to do it. Why the fuck not?

Forget finding bin Laden, this is the real shit.
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Weezy · Jun 23, 2005

So many restrictions on free speech.. >.>

People need to stop voting for Republicans.

Evan™ · Jun 23, 2005

Originally posted by Whimsicality@Jun 22 2005, 11:09 PM
This is what happens when people take patriotism way to seriously.

...I really hope senate doesn't pass this.
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Word....

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