Flag Burning and the First Amendment

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Recommended: Importance of the constitution

Your First Amendment rights are extremely close to being violated by none other than the United States Congress. I refer to the Flag Desecration Bill that, if passed, would do irreparable damage to our right to free speech and undermine the very priniciples for which the American flag stands. Fortunately, West Virginians have an ally in Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Sen. Byrd, who previously favored the bill, now fights to protect our rights by stopping the passage of this bill. I applaud his stand and want to reinforce his position. I also encourage you to join Sen. Byrd's campaign to ensure the legacy and supremacy of the greatest law in the land: the United States Constitution.

Though the Senate expects to vote on this amendment before the 105th Congress adjourns this fall, this is not the first time such a bill has been introduced to Congress. Nonetheless, this is the closest that it has ever come to actually passing through both Houses. The Citizens Flag Alliance recorded that the House passed the flag-protection resolution by a vote of 310-144 on June 12, 1997 (internet). It was then sent to the Senate in February for a vote. Is there a possibility such a bill could pass in the Senate? According to Daniel S. Webster, President of the Citizens Flag Alliance, as many as 64 Senators have already committed to voting "yes" for the amendment (internet). The Constitution states that only 67 votes are needed to propose the amendment to the state legislatures. If 38 state legislatures approve the proposed amendment, it will then ratify the Constitution (Wilson). According to the Citizens Flag Alliance, 49 states have already passed the resolution (internet). With such a close margin, those Senators who oppose the legislation need o...

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...imony/ct-rp043097.html>.

"Flag Supporters Press Senate to Protect Old Glory." Citizens Flag Alliance. (4 Aug. 1998).

26 Sept. 1998 <http://www.cfa-inc.org/cfanr30.htm>.

Goldstein, Robert. "This Flag Is Not for Burning." Nation. 7 July 1994: 84.

Henderson, Christine. Personal interview. 1 Oct. 1998.

Ketter, William. "Fold Up the Flag Amendment or Rights Will Fly At Half-Mast." Christian

Science Monitor. 13 Oct. 1995: 19.

Kreul, Keith. "The Pseudo Patriotism of the Flag Amendment." Christian Science Monitor.

11 June 1998: 11.

"Senate Subcommittee Approves S.J. Res. 40." Citizens Flag Alliance. (18 June 1998).

26 Sept. 1998 <http://www.cfa-inc.org/cfanr30.htm>.

Wilson, James, et. al. American Government: The Essentials. 7th ed. Boston: Houghton

Mifflin Company, 1998.

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