How is that possible when morethan half don't vote, and more than half of those who do, vote for someone else? And don't tell me the ones who didn't vote don't care. That's bull****. Why vote when 538 people ake the decision for everyone? I don't support flag burning b/c the country hasn't done anything bad enough to deserve it. But that's just my opinion, b/c the Dems are close enough to my views to actually be worth supporting. But what about those people whose views aren't represented adequately by either party?

i believe that people have every right to burn the flag. that, however doesnt make it right. i think its utter disrespect for a country that pays welfare, and adequately balances the economy, to burn its flag. i think that if people disagree with the government they live under they should go somewhere else (since it works for over half the population) or protest in a more mature way. what people think and do is their desicion, but have some respect and dont make it so childishly controversial. the rest of the world doesn't need to deal with their attention-seeking actions.

I really don't think that anyone should be prohibited from burning something, even if it is the flag. Honestly, we're not living in a dictatorship. We live in a free country and if someone wants to burn the flag, that's their business. Same with holding guns, or smoking in public, etc. I really think that all these new "laws" bush is trying to pass are a sneaky excuse to take away are rights.

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I would disagree highly on your first two points of that statement. From when I was in highschool till now, it has become harder and more expensive to get drugs. Though some are much stronger these days.

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I can't swear to the legitimacy of those first two points, but here are a couple sites that mention them.

http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=2731&sequence=20

http://www.csdp.org/ads/endwar.pdf

i've said it before but amendments wont be passed. not in this day and age.

and as un-american as flag burning may seem, it is just as un-american to deny ppl the right to do so.

I pretty much said everything you are saying, but is bad mouthing the country and the president worth it when clearly we have chosen the lesser of three evils? I don't agree with everything in this world that happens, but I understand a choice needs to be made. I think we have made the right choice.

We can all sit around and talk until we are blue in the face, talk is cheap. Until anyone has a better plan...this is the best plan. And hey, because you are 16 doesn't mean anything. Honestly I don't think you are dumb at all. I just think you haven't learned...nothing is nor ever will be perfect. And that is life. We have to make decisions in matters such as these, and this is why leaders are born, to make the decisions no one else can.

I can't say who, what, where or how. But a friend of mine I have known forever. Is involved in the war against drugs in another country. It is not like here, it's not like some Bloods or Crips pull an UZI out of a trunk. One instance I was told about was an investigation of a drug lab. Upon driving up to the gates the people at this building opened up with a howitzer mounted on the roof and if that wasn't enough, a tank came driving out through the front door. These people are not jokes, and we in America seem to think the world is much like our country...and it's not.
It's much worse.

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Drugs are more available, less expensive, and more potent than ever before.

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I would disagree highly on your first two points of that statement. From when I was in highschool till now, it has become harder and more expensive to get drugs. Though some are much stronger these days.

Billy, the drug war has been and still is a failure. We've incarcerated the hell out of our population (especially and disproportionately minorities); we've pumped money into the Colombian government that has allowed them to torture, kill, and abduct not only drug lords but also political minorities, leaders of labor unions, and human rights workers; and we've fumigated the coffee crops that earn so many Colombians their livelihood for the sake of knocking out a few coca plants. And what of it all? Drugs are more available, less expensive, and more potent than ever before.

Do I have a better plan? Not yet, but I'm 16 years old for god's sake! I look to my elected officials to be competant enough to know when something isn't working and to stop pouring taxpayers' money into it! Time to reevaluate our actions.

http://www.geocities.com/evil_clown_of_doom/pics/pricelessflagburneredited.jpg
Hehehe. Just copy and paste the URL and you'll see it.

But which is better for you, you have to decide...you are the President.

Do you stop the AID and continue to let drug lords, war lords and terrosists groups grow. Which from Columbians I know is not pretty. Being an American you would be kidnapped without thought...if you had no money...you would be killed. Women are offten kidnapped and raped to death along with small female childred. Those who live are sold to the slave market.

Or do you let the dictator police get the money, fight the war? And hey maybe they torture a few people(namely the drug lords) or they kill a few people. Yeah some criminals are on their hot list...maybe they'll get them to. There might even be some political opposition who ends up dead.

Or third, screw the AID and screw the Police!! America are a bunch of Cowboys...lets run in and get em' all at once!!! WOOO HOOO!!!! Look at us fighting another war!!! Won't the world love us!!! YEAH!

I don't think that it should be illegal because what would we do with all the retired flags or the ones that touch the ground, just throw them away? That is very disrespectful. Burning the flag shows respect for the country.

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I would NEVER burn my beloved country's flag.

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did you not state you "retired" many flags, therefore they were burned, not the same idea, but same thing. That was my statement...

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That is treason and I would hang myself for it.

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Burning a symbol != Waging war against your country.

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just wish the brave men who died fighting for our country could see the panzy-arse wimps like you all burning flags every tiem you dont get your way. America doesnt have to put up eith you, and if we were only a little more conservative (or smarter) we would ban flag burning.

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My grandfather is turning over in his grave for that. He fought for his COUNTRY. Not for a flag. He fought for what the flag represented. He was shot for his country. men do not die for a ****ing flag. Speaking of my grandfather, he was a hardcore Republican...until Regan. When Regan screwed him and many other Vets out of their money, my grandfather became a Democrat. He hated Regan THAT much.

Well ****, suppose a flag burning Amendment is passed. How will flags be disposed of then? What, are we to let them rot? Or are we to burn them? In case you didn't know, a flag is to be retired after being declared unfit for use by BURNING IT.

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lack of support for countries leads to civil unrest, riots, etc. Flag burners and the like are just loserd hyped up on drugs with nothing to do and no future

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No. Civil unrest and riots come from domestic problems such as a lack of freedoms and rights. As for your flag burners theory, no. Not in all cases. Not every protest and flag burning is involving "loserd hyped up on drugs" nor are they always anarchists. Protests start off peaceful, but people not related to the protest end up turning it into a violent riot. Now, if you want to talk about a flag burning moron, Mr. Johnson (Texas v. Johnson) is a putz. He burns flags for the sake of burning a flag. However, he did establish the right to burn a flag, so that others may do it as a form of expression.

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i see know real point in burning the flag except for the fact that your just showing signs of stupidity. if you really hate the US that much, why do you still live in it? get out if you hate it so much!!

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Yes..America...the melting pot.... Love it or leave it?! Are you a ****ing fool? Ever think that they are protesting to make things better for Americans? Ever think that they are expressing their disgust with the government in hopes of bringing about publicity so that they can better voice their opinion and bring about change?

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a flag that stands for hope and the unity of a country, a flag that stands for the men and women who died to give you the rights you have (maybe even the right to burn the flag... contradicting youself? i think so), a flag that means so much to so many people.

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What you just said is that the flag is a symbol. The flag is not the unity of a country, the FLAG is no your rights. The flag may stand for that, but by burning it, are you destroying those rights? By burning it, what are you destroying? A flag. That's it.

Well, let me look in my other grandfather's manual, and see if there is anything on Flags. (The Bluejacket's manual, 1940) Ohhh..."Flags of Principal Maritime Nations" Looky here, the American flag...with 48 stars. Guess they weren't fighting for our flag afterall! Well, I found nothing about the "proper treatment of flags". I did, however, find this, "The Colt, 45-Caliber, automatic pistol is the United States Navy standard and will hereafter be referred to as the pistol." I may have missed the section "everything you want to know about flags" in this, since it is 784 pages. But in the front is a section that has all of the flags you'll see on ships.

Edit: Just read throught the table of contents. Nothing. Just flag identification. Iguess they were too busy trying to fight and survive than worry about their flag.

I would NEVER burn my beloved country's flag. That is treason and I would hang myself for it. I'm just glad that most of the people where I live are smart enough not to burn flags, cause I'd crush their skulls. Burning a flag is abotu as un-American as you can get. I just wish the brave men who died fighting for our country could see the panzy-arse wimps like you all burning flags every tiem you dont get your way. America doesnt have to put up eith you, and if we were only a little more conservative (or smarter) we would ban flag burning.

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Aug. 6 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. and Colombia are near an agreement to resume drug-interception flights using procedures designed to avoid a repeat of the accidental 2001 downing of a missionary family over Peru, U.S. and Colombian officials said.

Colombia is the source of 80 percent to 90 percent of cocaine sold in the U.S. Bush administration and Colombian government officials may sign the drug-interception accord this week, said Patricia Rojas, spokeswoman for the Colombian embassy in Washington.

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sounds good to me...

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BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Facing possible extradition to the United States, a Colombian paramilitary warlord on Monday asked for talks with U.S. officials alongside his talks with the Colombian government to disarm his outlawed army.

Appearing unmasked for the first time on local television, Salvatore Mancuso, the military commander of the ultra-right United Self Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, suggested the U.S. meetings would also involve other commanders wanted in the United States for drug trafficking.

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still sounds good...

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Appropriate $731 million for the "Andean Counter-Drug Initiative" (ACI) account, which includes anti-drug military and economic aid for Colombia and six of its neighbors. This would give the Bush Administration its full request for the ACI.
As in past bills, the ACI money can be used "to support a unified campaign against narcotics trafficking [and] against activities by organizations designated as terrorist organizations" in Colombia.
Human rights conditions are attached to 25 percent of all Colombia aid in the bill. One condition is softened to require only that the Colombian military and police seek to be arresting wanted paramilitary leaders "that continue armed conflict." (In other words, the conditions would not apply should wanted paramilitary leaders be involved in peace talks, even if Colombian judicial authorities have not lifted arrest warrants.)

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this is somehow bad?

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what country is the US giving that type of aid to? i think we've stopped a lot of killing from foreign gov'ts

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...Colombia.

Yes I do think he could, I know for a fact DesertEagle has burned a flag...Eagle...please clear this up...thank you.

I'm pretty much done arguing, no one wants to take away your right to protest peacefully, no one wants to kill you because you don't like Bush. The point is the only reason it is legal to burn a flag is military reasons...not protest reasons. You have a right to do it and I have every right to fight you on it, more BS that gets in the way and holds us back from the real issues.

With that, the day I burn a Flag in rage, is the day I s**t on my Grandfathers grave, and to him and all the brave who have given me freedom...I thank you.

peace

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... what if they're just giving foreign aid to a government who's killing people? I guess then it's okay?

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what country is the US giving that type of aid to? i think we've stopped a lot of killing from foreign gov'ts

Muffin, I think he means if the country starts to kill its own people. He'd have to rephrase that if that's what he means.

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Yuo should ALWAYS support your country (unless they start killing people or something)

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... what if they're just giving foreign aid to a government who's killing people? I guess then it's okay?