Entertainment & Freedom of Speech

[duckattack]

Because basically I say it does. No offense to you and I am not upset nor trying to be a smart-ass, I'm just being honest here. Laws don't mean a whole lot to me in the first place as I follow "the golden rule" best I can. I'm not a violent person. In fact I am as I said above I am a firm believer in doing onto others as you would want them to do onto you, but everyone has certain things that piss them off and someone burning my country's symbol frankly pisses me off to the degree that I would kick them in the teeth if they chose to do that in front of me. I wouldn't wait for them to do that just for an excuse to go off on someone. I would be as nice as possible to disuade them from doing such an act, but if they did I would go redneck on their ass.
To you maybe the flag is insignificant or maybe you aren't even from America as you have no location below your avatar, but I can say that as screwed up as this country is at times, I wouldn't live anywhere else. This nation didn't become the world's economic and military superpower by accident. This nation was founded by people that wanted freedom, liberty and prosperity and many gave their lives for that to happen and that is what the flag represents to me. I'm not saying this country is infallable. I think our government and citiczens makes a lot of mistakes, but this country is also less than 230 years old and is always growing and learning as a nation.

Bryant

I disagree fundamentally with just about everything you said, but who gives a shit? You seem reasonable for a "potential redneck", and I think I'm pretty reasonable for a pinko-hippie-whatever it is I am.

I will say however, that while I do believe that burning (or otherwise defiling) a flag is a valid form of expression, it should, due to the extreme reactions it tends to draw, only be done when protesting something extreme enough to warrant said reaction. Protest is a form of propaganda, and agitating somebody to the point where they're not taking anything away from seeing a protest except "that fucker burned the flag" is hardly effective in winning converts over to whatever cause you may be for or against. Here in Portland, people protest downtown at the drop of a hat, and while I've been in my share of marches and demos, it got to a point where it's lost most of the positive impact it (debatably) once had. Whatever, I could go on and on, but I'll spare y'all, since I imagine most of you reading this are shaking your heads and wondering what the fuck is wrong with me by now...

 

[Bryant]

You're right, it could come from either side but this backlash isn't liberal
expansionism, it's definitely more on the side of the Conservatives.
Liberals traditionally know nothing about Corporate business do they?
Not traditionally, no. Who favors Corporations and Corporate Tax Cuts
and Tax Incentives and Tax Breaks more? The Conservatives or the
Liberals? The Conservatives. The very few generally always have controlled
the very many. The wealthiest people in America have the most power.
Always have. The only purpose the media has now is to hype. They
serve no other purpose.

I agree that money equals power and always has but the problem is that in modern America it is stepping up to a new level. Only in rural areas do you see "Mom and Pop" businesses much anymore. The corporate giants are wiping them clean. The smaller places can't compete with the prices. Soon we will have monopolies in many areas.

As far as the little plot about the Stern show etc. I still say it could come from anywhere. As I stated it probably doesn't even stem from the government but from the media itself.

To give my best Neil Young impression: The media has been trying to control the minds of the public for years and they continuously get better and better at it as time goes on. They program people that can't think for themselves what brands of clothes to where, what foods to eat, what beverages to drink and what cars to drive. They do it in much more subtle ways as well. They know the power of "keeping up with the Jones'es" and how people want to "fit in" with their friends and associates.


Bryant

 

[Bryant]

I disagree fundamentally with just about everything you said, but who gives a shit? You seem reasonable for a "potential redneck", and I think I'm pretty reasonable for a pinko-hippie-whatever it is I am. I will say however, that while I do believe that burning (or otherwise defiling) a flag is a valid form of expression, it should, due to the extreme reactions it tends to draw, only be done when protesting something extreme enough to warrant said reaction. Protest is a form of propaganda, and agitating somebody to the point where they're not taking anything away from seeing a protest except "that fucker burned the flag" is hardly effective in winning converts over to whatever cause you may be for or against. Here in Portland, people protest downtown at the drop of a hat, and while I've been in my share of marches and demos, it got to a point where it's lost most of the positive impact it (debatably) once had. Whatever, I could go on and on, but I'll spare y'all, since I imagine most of you reading this are shaking your heads and wondering what the fuck is wrong with me by now...

Good post. I am happy this didn't escelate into a flame war. That's not my style as I am here to make friends not enemies. I certainly do have a few traits that would qualify as "redneck" but I think I am still a long way from that stereotype.
Around here (in Phenix City Alabama) I wouldn't get a chance to fight someone who tired to burn a flag. I would probably have to wait in a pretty long line for that.
As far as protests..... I have never been in one. I simply don't vote for the clowns that are in the government right now, but most knuckleheads (no offense to anyone in particular) believe that you have to be a liberal or conservative. Your only choices are Republican and Democrat. I personally don't see the advantage of voting for the lesser of two evils, but those two parties have the money and get all of the exposure, so until the brainwashed American public realizes that indeed there is freedom of choice above the two, nothing will change.
The average American probably couldn't tell you the name of their own Congressman. The "average" American is too busy trying to work overtime, trying to pay his credit card bills and vehicle notes he can't afford so he can impress his neighbor which goes back to the media and their "programming." It's a vicious cycle.

Bryant