Flag Burning on July 4th

[Guest slamminshaun]

Tasteless...

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/July/04/local/stories/06local.htm

I ask this every year. How come flag-burning is ok but cross-burning is illegal???

[ryan2772]

attention whores.

[Guest pontifex]

Tasteless...

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/July/04/local/stories/06local.htm

I ask this every year. How come flag-burning is ok but cross-burning is illegal???

I think its actually a pretty complex issue' date=' but basically it boils down to the notion that cross burning is a true threat most of the time, i.e. it is historically done to intimidate racial and ethnic minorities, and threats aren't protected under the First Amendment.

Anyways, theres a few situations where you are allowed to burn crosses, like at Klan political rallies, where it is done as a political statement and not to intimidate:

[url']http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_v._Black

Flag burning is considered political speech, which has almost total first amendment protection.

[Guest slamminshaun]

Is flag burning allowed in California? They have outdoor smoking bans there...

[Guest coach]

Tasteless...

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/July/04/local/stories/06local.htm

I ask this every year. How come flag-burning is ok but cross-burning is illegal???

I dunno, first amendment, maybe? I mean, the first amendment was specifically designed to protect freedoms that some people might find offensive. Although, I always wonder why flag burning doesn't just come under the general burn ban in most cities. In most places, you cannot even burn leaves in a barrel in your backyard without a permit.