Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jinglejangle]

Yet one more reason why this particular rabid conservative is no longer comfortable voting republican.

I kind of liked the constitution.

AND ESPECIALLY the Bill of Rights.

[guangho]

[sonofthedarkstranger]

[Nowhere Man]

I'd like to address two things.

1) Wannago, I'm pretty sure that there have been (or there is at least one) cases where US courts protected the Klan when anti-Klan protesters intruded on their rallies and either knocked over or otherwise defiled white crosses set up by the KKK. I know, at least, that I've seen footage of such things (or a thing). I side with the Klan. I do not endorse sending any brown-shirts in to break up any peaceful demonstrations.

So, those who behave as such suffer the consequences.

On the other hand, I understand such people completely.

BUT, America is (or should be) about freedom, right?

There is a difference between freedom of expression, hate speech, and hate crime.

I can have a rally in my front yard saying, "I hate wannago", but I can't have one saying. "Kill Wannago". Nor can I kill Wannago.

1 free expression. 2 crimes.

And one more: Can I burn an effigy of Wannago on my front lawn?

Yes, but not on his lawn.

Can I burn an effigy of Wannago in a public park?
That's hard. I suppose it depends on whether a court decided whether it represented some intention of mine to hurt or threaten Wannago.

To assume someone wanted hurt or threaten the US by burning a flag would be taking things a bit far, especially if you try to ban it.

Not to mention, if such a silly amendment actually passes, how about if I produce and then burn a bunch of flags with twelve stripes or 49 stars? What if I intentionally manufacture slightly incorrect flags for the express purpose of burning them?

I WAS a Boy Scout. You are taught that if a Flag touches the ground and is thus desecrated, it is to be BURNED.

So what if I hold a flag-burning every Sunday to get rid of all of the flags that end up desecrated? Would that be a violation of the Constitution? Or should we have flag-landfills to help the dirty commies who don't actually burn their defiled flags?

Moreover, what should be the protocol for those little plastic ones we wave at every July 4th parade despite the fact that, if you read the fine print on their edges, they say MADE IN CHINA?

2) Regarding Joo, I'm not even sure what you who opposed his statements are explaining or correcting. I believe he was saying that the Constitution outweighs outlawing flag-burning. Is there something to be corrected here? Or, is there a bit of knee-jerk?

[yoda]

scarneck,

You really are missing an important point. It is legal to burn the Koran in the US as a private citizen. The first ammendment protects that, as it should. What is outrageous about burning the Koran in front of POWs in a military prison is that it is an effort to humiliate them, which under international law, prisoners are protected from. Second it is being done by the US armed forces, which are an extension of the government and therefore it is a government act, unless the guilty are punished for contravening government policy.

There is a big difference between a citizen of a country who is burning the Koran and an arm of the government burning the Koran. Go ahead, if you, as a private citizen, think Islam represents a religion of hate, burn its most sacred documents in protest. But as a representative of the government, buring the koran is reprehensible act.

If the students at Yonsei University burn the US flag, that's OK by me. But if any branch of the Korean government desecrates the US flag in any capacity, then it is an outrage and the US should seek reparations (most likely in the form of an apology).

[Nowhere Man]

To elaborate on that notion, how about if we had a Bible burning a la the Beatles?

To elucidate further, I'm not sure that people's religious beliefs should be a basis for torture.

Let's imagine you are a captive of the enemy and they put the Bible in a blender and threaten to puree it.

Western captives would probably say, "OK".

But, either way, would this produce accurate confessions?

No, but it caused people we liberated to kill each other, and it achieved what goal?

[guangho]

It's your right to say anything in America. (Most of the time anyhoo....can you imagine the consequences of dissing Bush or the war on terror in the current climate?) Actions are a a seperate matter. If someone tries to take my wallet and winds up stabbing me, that's a seperate act (morally) from someone flashing the Hitler salute and then stabbing me. Why? Because the motives are different. To me, hate is worse than greed and should be treated as such. This is not new. Crimes are routinely punished partly on the basis of motive. In a recent case, a woman in Arizona set her husband on fire for the insurance money. No doubt she will get punished more severely than if she had done it because he was abusive to her- and she should be punished more severely.

[mindmetoo]

[guangho]

[dulouz]

I have a neutral opinion about this matter. I'm annoyed by by the time wasting aspect of the effort and on the other hand I dislike flag burners of the contemporary stock. Fin.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[bucheon bum]

who the hell burns american flags here in the states anyway??

As Jon stewart said last night on the Daily Show, "Flag burning is so 1979 Islamic Revolution- passe."

[Bulsajo]

Jon Stewart also pointed out last night on the daily show the contradiction inherent in the bill (but this guy wrote it in his blog better than I could):

[bucheon bum]

If only more people watched the Daily Show. I probably learn more from that show about American politics than any other program. And no, I don't just watch comedy central, mtv, and reality programs the rest of the time.

[Bulsajo]