You don’t have to be cynical to see what is going on with Congress as they once more try to pass a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit burning the U.S. flag.
So what is going on, you ask? Well, it is true that Republicans are appealing to their ultra-right base just months before mid-term elections. Also, if a member of Congress votes against the proposed amendment, it gives their opponent an opportunity to charge that they were FOR burning the flag. Ridiculous you say? Just watch and see if the flag-burning prohibition measure passes.
I haven’t heard of any flag burning in almost 20 years with the exception of the VFW properly torching old, worn-out flags as in the manner of which they should be disposed. I have heard of a few other problems though: inadequate access to health care, high gasoline prices, a war that shouldn’t be fought, influence peddling to Congress, the immigration issue, Social Security insolvency, terrorism … It goes on and on and on.
The American public should take offense at such transparent pandering as is being undertaken by the Republican-controlled Congress. By wanting to gut the Bill of Rights — which is already under attack by the Bush administration — this self-serving political ploy about flags that are hardly endangered cheapens the very object that it allegedly attempts to protect. Reducing our right to freedom of speech is downright unpatriotic. But hey, getting re-elected is more important that being free, right?