President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that anyone who burns an American flag should face unspecified "consequences," such as jail or a loss of citizenship. But the Supreme Court has held that flag-burning is a form of speech protected by the First Amendment, and the Constitution forbids the government removal of citizenship for a natural-born American.A reasonably savvy politician would first check to see if his or her utterings about a subject advocated anything that was forbidden. But not Trump, he just goes off with diarrhea of the mouth (or fingers, when he's on Twitter). Because his supporters will say "oh, that's just Donald".
Stripping citizenship of opponents or hated groups is a classic move of fascist and authoritarian nations.
May I direct your attention to the Senate's 'Defense of the Flag' bill from 2005...co-sponsored by HRClinton.
ReplyDeleteA source, please, that isn't Fox News or Breitbart. Not my job to research your assertions for you.
ReplyDeleteHere you are then.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/1911/text
and here's the story from CBS
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/11/29/hillary-clinton-flag-burners/
Freedom of speech and/or expression has never been absolute in any country in the world. One cannot incite others to violence, slander or libel a person or organization, utter death threats, counsel a person to commit suicide, etc.
Al_in_Ottawa
See: Neither candidate is worth a shit.
ReplyDeleteYou just can't let your hate of Trump let you be rational about him.
Thank got we have laws and such to prevent such excesses even by well meaning idiots like either of them.....
Of course, Congress let Barry do so much without stopping him, I wonder what they will let the DOnald get away with....
At least the Press won't willingly go along, unlike how they did with Barry O.
4 U.S. Code § 8
ReplyDelete….(k)The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
(Added Pub. L. 105–225, § 2(a), Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1497.)
h/t: Show Me Progress
-Doug in Oakland
AL, slight difference between being a Senator and being a President, but point taken.
ReplyDeleteB, you're veering into irrationality. Your guys have controlled both sides of the Congress since 2010. the Senate Republicans made blocking anything Obama wanted to do their number 1 priority in January, `09. The 112th Congress (2011-12) had a ratio of bills passed/bills introduced of .082. the 113th's ratio was .059.
Which is pretty freaking low.
(Source)
Trump is spouting seeming nonsense to bog people and the media down in debate and condemnation over positions he doesn't really hold (or may, but could care less about implementing in the short term).
ReplyDeleteIt's the 'Hey, squirrel!' maneuver.
Meanwhile, Trump is loading up his administration with billionaires, banksters, and right-wing trolls.
ReplyDeleteLet the pillaging begin!
"A poor man never gave anyone a job....."
ReplyDeleteand those who have degrees but no experience haven't done a good job either. At least not for the last 8 yearz or so