Hitch on Flag Fetishes

Christopher Hitchens is one of those guys who can sound so lucid when he's agreeing with you, but so unhinged when he doesn't.



But in this article, he brings up my two big flag-burning amendment complaints: it's a collosal waste of Congress' time, and it's in a category with only Prohibition as amendments that would limit individual freedom.

I don't plan on ever burning a flag any time soon, but I don't see the big threat to anyone or anything when some goofball decides that's his message to the world. Kinda reminds me of my feelings on gay marriage as well.



Also, I had some AM station on when I left home this morning, and the drive-time talk radio was in full gear. Guess what - Pat Gray is for an amendment! And one caller said she could understand allowing flag-burning if this were China ("where it would probably get you shot"), because their flag just represents the government, as opposed to here in America, where it represents... uh, something more... uh, something more symbolic... and also she does like flag-patterned underwear - even if some sticks-in-the-mud don't think it's appropriate.

My point is: talk radio drive-time callers are idiots. Basically, this woman was saying America should have flag-burning laws more like China, because America is different, and it's ok to desecrate the flag if you're right-wing/patriotic, but not to protest America.

[Edit: In comments, Digital Traveler points you to this post, where there are click-able stars.]