Protect-the-Flag Fervor Spreads to State Capitol

The national fervor to protect the American flag from desecration spread Saturday to a flag-bedecked state Senate, where legislators sported patriotic Fourth of July boutonnieres.

The senators even recited an unscheduled Pledge of Allegiance. In the Assembly, no special note was made in anticipation of Independence Day as members hurried to complete their agenda and recess for a three-day weekend.

Setting the tone for the day, the Senate Rules Committee approved a pair of politically popular resolutions that call on Congress to approve a constitutional amendment that would give Congress and the states the “power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.”

The constitutional amendment supported by President Bush was proposed in response to a controversial ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court which struck down state laws that make it illegal to burn the American flag. Such action was protected as an expression of free speech, the court found.

Ordinarily, when confronted with separate but similar appeals for action by Congress, the state Senate Rules Committee approves only one measure. But in this case, on a pair of 4-0 votes, it approved two--one by Sen. Cecil N. Green (D-Norwalk) and the other by Assemblyman Tim Leslie (R-Carmichael).

The full Senate is expected to easily endorse both measures by the middle of the month. A constitutional amendment approved by Congress would be subject to ratification by 38 states.

The only difficulty the Rules Committee encountered in dealing with the two proposals was trying to devise a procedure to add scads of legislators as co-authors so each could claim credit for helping to encourage protection of the flag.

Finally, it was agreed that Leslie and Green would be given about 10 more days to add more co-authors. Leslie said more than 50 members of the Assembly had already signed on his measure and Green minutes later found no difficulty getting the signatures of about 20 Senate co-authors for his proposal.

Desks Adorned With Flags

Senators arrived for the unusual Saturday morning floor session to find their desks in the Senate chamber decorated with small American flags, courtesy of Sens. Green and James W. Nielsen (R-Rohnert Park), and a red, white or blue carnation boutonniere, courtesy of Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles).

Ordinarily, the Senate only recites the pledge to the flag on Mondays after a prayer. About half of the 40 senators participate.

But Sen. John Doolittle (R-Rocklin) made a motion that the flag be saluted this day, too, and he further suggested that the senators do so “each time we gather on the floor.” He led the Pledge of Allegiance, but his proposal that each session include the flag salute was referred to the Rules Committee for a decision.

Years ago, when the Senate met each day, the flag was saluted. That practice was abbreviated when the upper chamber decided on floor sessions twice a week.

In the Assembly, a prayer is offered and the pledge is recited on Mondays and Thursdays, the usual floor session days. Customarily, about a half dozen members participate. When the ceremony is over, other members surge in.