Monday, September 25, 2006
Northup against the First Amendment?
"If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea offensive or disagreeable."
William Brennan -- Supreme Court Justice
Anne Northup seems to find fault in the Yarmuth Record with John Yarmuth's stance on flag burning. Essentially his position is that he is against it, but he'll defend your right to do so.
Anne, of course, is for legislation prohibiting it.
While this may seem like the mark of a true patriot, the true symbol of the United States is that sacred document The Constitution. Our country was founded on the belief that you should be able to air your grievances against the government. While burning the flag is a coarse, crude method of doing so, it should remain protected if we wish to continue to separate ourselves from the countries we proclaim as our enemies. To punish people who burn the flag to protest the United States or its government only dishonors the men and women who have fought so hard to protect not a flag, but an idea that free speech and the exchange of ideas is a sacred right.
William Brennan -- Supreme Court Justice
Anne Northup seems to find fault in the Yarmuth Record with John Yarmuth's stance on flag burning. Essentially his position is that he is against it, but he'll defend your right to do so.
Anne, of course, is for legislation prohibiting it.
While this may seem like the mark of a true patriot, the true symbol of the United States is that sacred document The Constitution. Our country was founded on the belief that you should be able to air your grievances against the government. While burning the flag is a coarse, crude method of doing so, it should remain protected if we wish to continue to separate ourselves from the countries we proclaim as our enemies. To punish people who burn the flag to protest the United States or its government only dishonors the men and women who have fought so hard to protect not a flag, but an idea that free speech and the exchange of ideas is a sacred right.
