The arrested man identified himself as a combat veteran and said he was burning the American flag in protest of an executive order Trump signed Monday targeting flag burning.

  • HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Many U.S. veterans I know support the right of freedom of expression, to include flag burning. They say they feel its disrespectful but its the right they bleed for, for people to express themselves

    I remember a case where this singer burnt an american flag in protest (I think korean war) and the president was grilled on his take on the matter and he daid that whats beautiful about our country, that we can do these things, and that im the countries we are fighting agianst thier citizens dont have the same freedoms as americans.

    • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Hey, it’s cool that some of them understand the law, but… also, I don’t think veterans have any special privilege or insight into how our freedoms work.

      I don’t think any of us need their permission to exercise our rights. I don’t think that’s what you were going for, but I’m just saying this because so much of the discussion often seems to go to what “the troops” think about it. It just doesn’t matter.

      • HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I was bringing it up half out of people tending to use veterans and soldiers as justification for “cracking down” on things like flag burning, saying how it disrespects our troops or something. When 1) as you say, thier opinion doesn’t matter and 2) They also aren’t as offended as republicans say they are.

        • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          It’s my first amendment right to call the troops babykillers and to thank their Jodies for their service. And if someone wants the government to stop me then they’re anti American. The first amendment is especially for the right to criticize and mock the government and her agents.

        • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Fair enough. Also, I should not have had that last sentence worded that way. I should have said that their opinion does not matter more than the opinions of non-veterans, IMHO. Being Americans, their opinion does matter as much as any other, but still the law is the law and unless the unhinged cons get an amendment, freedom should still be a thing…even on something like burning a flag.