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How else can it be interpreted?


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It seems that they are protesting about the US, how it behaves and/or its policies.


That's how else it can be interpreted. If someone is protesting about the US's policies by burning the flag, then how are they being un-American? They're exercising their democratic right to protest -- it's just that they're doing it by burning the flag.

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It doesn't appear that anyone here thinks the S-n-S flag burners are protesting about democracy.


Can you clarify that? I imagine that very few people protest about democracy. Maybe they want to live in a socialist state, or something. The fact that you live in a democracy is the very thing that allows them to protest. By banning protests -- no matter which form that they take -- you're slowly eroding the principals of that democracy.

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You say "some people". What if it is the majority?


Then the majority are wrong. Just because it's the popular view doesn't mean that it's right or just.

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From earlier posts, I understand that the US goverment can't currently deport for flag-burning. However, I guess a new law could be introduced if there was a majority consensus.


And it would be an unjust law.

IMO, some US citizens invest altogether too much (ego?, symbolism?, whatever?) in their flag. It smacks of jingoism to me. It's just a piece of cloth, people.
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-- roger