Elliot beat me to commenting about one of Althouse's latest blurbs.  Today she's taking a very ho hum approach to the issue of flag burning.  Yes... it does seem to be a recurring theme, but the way she couches it really bothered me.  She started by quoting Bill Frist who said, "Ever since the Boy Scouts first taught me how to care for our flag over 40 years ago, it has always held a special place in my heart." and then follows that up with "Blecch".  Really Ann?  Is the idea that someone could respect the flag that disgusting to you?

I second Sen. Frist's view.  I too was a Boy Scout (as many people witnessed Saturday night, when I was the only one who could properly build a fire at an outdoor birthday party for a friend).  And I too respect the flag greatly.  I also get shivers every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner (especially when it has proper accompaniment by an orchestra).  I personally don't understand why that idea seems so disgusting.  Sure, you may not feel as strongly as I do, but to be disgusted by it?  Really?

Elliot points out many other judicially decided exemptions to the 1st Amendment, and says that a flag burning amendment would be hardly noticeable in comparison.  Maybe that's true... of course I don't agree with many of the existing exemptions either.  I also don't want to see a flag burning amendment.

For as much as the idea of a person burning a flag offends me as an American... that's all it does.  It offends me.  And as much as I'd like to say that all things that offend me should be banned, that is precisely what the 1st Amendment was created for.  It protects the rights of people to say things that offend others, without fearing government retribution.

Flag burning also serves a very useful purpose to me.  It allows me to quickly find out who the stupid people are... the ones who are incapable of rational, adult thought, and debate.  Flag burners are the people who held their breath and had temper tantrums as children.  When something they don't like happens, they don't argue it.  They don't debate it.  They burn a flag.  The flag isn't the reason why we're at war in Iraq.  It's not the reason why some people are trying to outlaw abortion.  They simply don't have anything rational to say, and are completely incapable of countering the other side's facts.  So instead of even trying, they hold their breath, light a match and stomp around crying like little children, and try to draw attention from the fact that they have nothing real to say by creating a big fire.

It's nice to have a "stupid person" detection mechanism that people are willing to use on themselves.