Similar laws have been enacted in Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon and Wyoming.

In Alaska, petition circulators can be paid on a per signature basis. But by law, not more than a single dollar per signature. Paying a dollar-fifty is illegal.

However, there can be no such rules about paying people to burn the flag. That would be unconstitutional. Anti-American arsonists can be paid as much as they can command on the open market. Keep your laws off their fires. No silly rules about not paying by the scorched flag-pole and having to compensate by the many hours spent setting Old Glory ablaze.

In Nebraska, legislation was introduced to require those who circulate petitions to wear a big badge showing their name and other information. To me, there is something terribly disconcerting about such a proposal. It’s just that, historically, other programs that required certain citizens to wear a noticeable “badge” in public just really don’t recommend further experimentation with the idea.

You’ll no doubt be relieved to learn that there are no such legislative attacks in the works against the flag-burners. No attempt to slap government name tags on them.

Now, really, I’m not suggesting we need new laws or a new bureaucracy to regulate the one or two anti-social socialist fellows hell-bent on burning the flag every decade or so.

Really.

My point is that the exercise of more practical political speech — say, by petitioning to actually reform government, or by criticizing the lousy, no-good politicians wrecking our country — ought to enjoy at least as much protection from government attack as flag-burning, bong-hit banners or (even) Internet porn.