Why would any AMERICAN want to burn the AMERICAN flag?

And should it be illegal to do so?

I say this is an evil abuse of the freedom of protest right, and that it should be made a national crime with a minimum 10 year sentence!

We can't yell "fire!" in a crowded theatre, so why should we be allowed to burn the flag of the best country the world has ever seen-the United States of America?

Why would any AMERICAN want to burn the AMERICAN flag?sunshine

An American flag can be burned when the flag has been desecrated. I have no problem with burning an American flag with respect but these liberal anti-Americans who burn flags to show their disapproval of America... well they are not Americans.

Why would any AMERICAN want to burn the AMERICAN flag?star theater opera theater

Who burned the American flag? Please post a cite.

This is a "fact" that is often used to stir people up, yet usually no one can point to anyone who has burned our flag (at least not in this country). Please don't allow yourself to be manipulated by propaganda.

Anyway, there is a foolproof solution to this if we wanted to make sure no one ever burned our flag: make the flags out of inflammable material. Easy enough.

P.S. to godlyteengirl: As a fellow Christian, I encourage you to look into a variety of different media, do a lot of research and then form your own opinion about issues instead of being spoon-fed someone else's opinions. This will please God and make you into a better American citizen.
To properly dispose of it.

The U.S. Flag Code states, "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning".
Here's a novel idea. Why not ask the person burning the flag why they are so upset that they felt that they had to take such a drastic action. Instead you want to throw him in jail for a decade. God bless America.
burning an american flag doesn't threaten to hurt anyone. It's a symbol. Yelling "fire!" in a crowded theatre has the tendency to cause panic and can get people killed.

Making it illegal to burn the flag means that you give up something far more precious than a mere symbol. You give up your constitutional right to free speech. If you make it illegal to burn the flag, you basically burn the constitution and your rights. This goes to far. Your rights are far more important than a damn symbol. BTW, stop cheapening people's lives by saying that they died for the flag or for this symbol. They didn't, they died for our rights which includes free speech.
I don't think this is really an issue in this country. I can't think of the last day that someone burned a American flag in a American city... maybe it happens from time to time but when I walk through a down-town city (and yes I do this frequently) I NEVER see a individual torching the American flag... you make it sound like this happens daily. Personally, I don't expect my legislators to be working so hard on an "maybe it will happen but it is not likely to happen" issue. We have more important things to discuss at this time.

Now, I do see foreigners in their own nations burning our flag... but that's not in our legislation.
I personally have never seen another American burning an American flag, have you? I think you should be sentenced to ten years for being so willing to take away my freedom of expression because you don't agree with another person's point of view.
Well if you want to go to extremes, then why not imprison a lot of those yahoo patriots that use the flag in a matter specified as disrespect under the US Flag Code.

You know the ones I'm talking about. Those NASCAR yahoos that drape the flag over the hood of their car even though the US Flag Code says that is a sign of disrespect towards the flag.

Or are we being picky?
It should not be illegal because it is a form of free speech. The reason people usually do it is a form of protest against America. Freedom of Speech is a valuable freedom we enjoy in this country. It is because of that freedom this country is the best country on earth.
That final statement is rather subjective. We are the most powerful, but some would argue that we are not the best.

The problem with that statement is where would the law stop with the right to protest. I could say that large gatherings are an evil abuse to the right to protest and so on.

People do it to make statement that people see and listen to. Obviously they have your attention.
It is the ultimate way of showing your dissattisfation with the state of your union. Not that I would do such a thing, however it is just a reaction to the current state. Look at it like this, when you are mad at your enemy, you do the meanest things possible to hurt them. To those that "Care and love thigns the way they are", this would be the ultimate insult, to burn the flag that they hold dearest. Now here comes the fun part, they may not even hate America per se..however this ultimate act is what is necessary to ultimatly get their point across that things going on within are not acceptable.

However unlike yelling FIRE, which causes panic and confusion, the flag burner is only hurting YOUR feelings, or clashing with YOUR beliefs.
Yeah! If they don't like America, they should leave the country! Oh, that's right, if you go into another country and you burn their flag, they shoot you or hang you.
Those who burn it are not true Americans.
Idiot. It is freedom of speech and regardless of how odious it may appear, it's one of those crazy things that makes our nation so great. and BTW, that best country in the world remark is DEFINITELY up for debate.
Well all Americans don't agree with some of the policies of the USA. So to vent their frustration they burn our flag. I don't agree with this tactic. But there should be no law making such an act illegal.
They are cold and have nothing else left to burn?
I'lll tell you when you are a little bit older...
no it shouldnt be illegal, that goes against freedom of speech, we have the right to protest
they just want attention to themselves
It shouldn't be illegal. However, the pieces of crap who do this should be scorned and ridiculed, probably leftists.
They think that there getting there point across?

What did the flag do 2 them, except give them the right 2 say what ever they feel.

If you don't love it than leave it . Many of our brave fathers %26amp; grandfathers died 2 keep this flag standing.If it falls then we fall as a country, So make a stand for old glory. So your children can be proud 2 be an American, Not a flag burning anti american.
I never did it and I never will. However,I do think it should be made mandatory to burn the Iranian flag whenever possible,
I wouldn't know why. I've never had the desire to do so.

But no, it shouldn't be made illegal. That sets a bad precedent. Besides, we're allowed to say negative things about our country. And if the flag is made to be more important than the country itself, then we're in pretty deep poopy.
Fire in a theater and not having a voice on the political stage are not comparble so why would you try that lame analogy? The fact is the speech we detest most is the speech we should fight to protect lest we embark on a path of censorship, win the arguement instead of taking rights
I don't know why any reasonable person would want to burn the flag of any country much less an American living a good life with all the freedoms afforded to them, but...

You can't force people to respect. I've come to the realization that you can't force people to do much on an extended time-line without a falling out being the eventual result.

The respected never ask for it.

Those that ask may grudgingly receive some respect.

Those that demand respect will most certainly receive disrespect.

You may be thinking,

"Good life, huh, what about all our poor, our homeless, do they have a good life?"

My answer, no, they aren't the ones burning flags though, it's college kids, and unless you're burning the flag to keep a homeless person from freezing, you're not helping them.
well the u.s. isn't the greatest civilization but certainly has potential especially because of its age, the flag IS desposed by using fire or turning it over to vets so they can do it ceremoniously, but the people who burn it out of pure rage have had their asses protected by people who died under that same symbol. Few know that.
There is a better way...

You don't have to ban flag burning, just make the penalty for assaulting a flag-burner $5 fine

Things will take care of themselves that way
in protest,,,, of the war in Iraq,, it's sends a message,,,,
You are correct.

In my opinion it should be illegal.

But then again, you have the environmental tree hugging wackos that will use the 1st as protection to do anything.
Any American who burns the flag should be ready to defind theirself because I would kick their a ss but I still think they should have the right to do it.
it is illegal to burn the american flag "unless for polital reasons" which is retarded