Wrapping themselves up in Old Glory; Flag burning.(Congress tries to make flag burning illegal)

Economist (US), The, July, 2006

Yes, you can still do it

Not the proudest of weeks for the Senate

BURNING the American flag, the Supreme Court ruled in 1989, and again in 1990, is a variety of freedom of speech that enjoys constitutional protection under the First Amendment. So that's that? Not at all. This week the Senate spent two long days discussing whether the constitution should be amended to make flag desecration illegal. The House has already approved such an amendment by 286-130; but to be ratified it needs to pass the Senate by a two-thirds majority, and then to win the support of 38 state legislatures.

The most striking thing about the debate was the disproportion between the problem and the proposed remedy. On an average day you can see hundreds of American...

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