House Votes to Protect Flag

I am a little perplexed regarding the House of Representatives’ vote on a bill which states: “Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, burns, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.”

Does this mean that I cannot knowingly tear a flag stamp in half without being fined or imprisoned? Does this mean that my daughter, having brought home a flag which she had made in school out of paper and crayon, cannot knowingly mutilate her creation? Or does this rule only apply to nylon flags bigger than a specific size made in Taiwan, Korea or the Philippines? Does this mean that a flag patch, once sewn onto the back of a pair of jeans with a hole in them, cannot ever be sat upon--is that mutilation, defacement or trampling?

The rule our representatives have passed is absurd and, regardless of what they pass, it still violates the First Amendment right of freedom of expression and speech. If they decide that they object to drinkers of chocolate milkshakes and pass a law that imprisons them, I’ll still be slurping my shake. Our reps need shaking--passing laws against things which they don’t like doesn’t make the law right.

Of course, if they add an amendment to that law stating that it’s OK to tear a stamp; that it’s OK to throw away a child’s flag creation; that it’s OK to sit on a flag patch, well, then, it’ll be a greatly profound and wise law. But perhaps readers have a few more amendments that they want to add.

DAN ROBBINS

Ventura