Fiery Debate Over Flag Desecration

Re “Anti-U.S. Flag Desecration Amendment Passes in House,” July 18: A careful reading of the Constitution reveals an interesting theme. Many of the amendments were designed to protect individual citizens from our government. Now the House of Representatives is trying to turn that theme upside-down. By approving an amendment to prohibit flag burning, our representatives want to protect our government and its symbol from its citizens.

No, I do not advocate burning the flag, no matter how valid the protest. This use of real flames on a piece of cloth that many hold dear creates emotional flames that repel rather than attract support to the protester’s cause. Rather than make a martyr of someone who burns the flag, as our representatives propose, we should continue to allow public disgust to undermine his or her position. Definitely, we should not elevate a mere symbol of our government to greater importance than the individuals who constitute our government.

David E. Ross

Oak Park

It must be silly season: The House has again passed a proposed constitutional amendment to ban flag burning. What if the amendment actually passed, and it was made illegal to burn a flag? Flag burning is almost unheard of now, but does anyone doubt that the result would be that protesters, fervently desiring publicity for whatever cause, would seize on such an opportunity for arrest and punishment? Inevitably, the result of such an amendment would be to encourage, not discourage, flag burning.

John Hamilton Scott

Sherman Oaks

The position that Eugene Volokh takes in “The U.S. Constitution Says We All Have to Live With Being Offended” (Commentary, July 18) is a wise one. He recognizes the obvious dangers of passions, rather than reason, creating law. Honest discourse, rather than disparagement, needs to be the order of the day.

There was a country that, 62 years ago, gave in to its passions rather than reason. I do not believe that we and the rest of the world want to go down that path again.

Stuart Pennington

Chino Hills

The flag-desecration amendment advocates using real repression to protect a symbol of freedom. This is hypocrisy and an insult--I repeat, an insult--to the symbol.

Rudy Young

Pasadena