Freedom of Speech

One of the things that Americans cherish is freedom of speech.  Now when I say we cherish it, we cherish the right to use it, but some of us don't like others to use it.

In a tweet, our minority president-elect noted that flag burning should be a crime and maybe should include loss of citizenship.

This is going to cheer on by many of his supporters who believe the flag is more important than civil liberties.

Now I am a firm believer that the flag should be treated with respect, but I also realize that it is a piece of cloth or an image widely used in non-patriotic ways, such as to sell products or as an article of clothing.

Now maybe these displays are acceptable, maybe not.  I've seen young ladies in flag bikinis which didn't offend me.  However, I doubt very much they observe flag etiquette when used that way.

Now if someone is protesting an American policy or behavior, burning the flag is a demonstration of that protest and has been determined to be part of free speech.  Whether you like it or not its covered by the constitution.

Now, if we decide to limit free speech that we don't like, the question becomes, do we have fee speech?

We have some restrictions right now on it, such as not being able to yell fire in a crowded theatre, but to decide that a symbolic protest gesture should be criminalized and further should result in the loss of citizenship is abhorrent.

It doesn't matter if you like what someone is saying, they generally have the right to say it.  The recent election demonstrated that telling lies and spreading false stories can be an effective political tool and as much as I would like to see that curtailed, the only American solution is to try to educate the public to see what is and isn't true.

If we start rounding up people we don't agree with, we have become un-American.