Earlier this week Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) introduced a Constitutional amendment that would ban the desecration of the American flag.
Today, #FlagDay, I introduced a Constitutional amendment w/ @SenKevinCramer to ban the desecration of the American Flag.
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) June 14, 2019
The American Flag is a symbol of freedom - and it should always be protected. ????
President Donald Trump took to Twitter to say he supports the amendment because it's a "no brainer."
All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag. A no brainer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019
He had actually said something similar back in 2016:
Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016
The Constitutional amendment is highly unlikely to pass Congress. Two-thirds the House and another two-thirds of the Senate must vote to formally propose an amendment. Assuming that passes, three-fourths of all state legislatures must vote in favor of the amendment. If that passes then it's added to the Constitution.
Conservatives, however, debated the issue. Should this be a Constitutional amendment?
Some were very supportive of the idea.
If I were President, the punishment for burning the U.S flag would be the renunciation of citizenship.
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 16, 2019
No jail time, no fine— simply one year to liquidate your assets and get the hell out of our country.
In exchange, we’d extend citizenship to a hardworking LEGAL immigrant.
You can’t have a serious nationalist movement that also supports destroying national symbols. Completely inconsistent
— Jack Posobiec ???? (@JackPosobiec) June 16, 2019
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Others had concerns, specifically about the right to free speech. The Supreme Court previously ruled in Texas v. Johnson that burning the American flag is protected under the First Amendment.
If you believe it should be illegal to burn the American flag, you are against the core purpose of the First Amendment.
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) June 16, 2019
Throwing people in jail for burning a flag is some straight up commie behavior. This is America. If you burn our flag, you’re definitely a scumbag, but you have the freedom to do so. The most important part about 1A is protecting the speech you disagree with most.
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) June 16, 2019
Freedom comes first. In America, you are free to burn the American flag.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 16, 2019
This whole “burning the American flag should be illegal” is something that sounds patriotic but is actually the opposite. As many have noted, the unique indestructibility of Old Glory is that she can be burned.
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) June 16, 2019
Some of you seem to be confusing whether or not something *should* be done with whether or not it should be illegal. Burning the flag is an atrocious act, but our freedom to do so as a form of expression shows just how radical our defense of liberty is in America.
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) June 16, 2019
People— our military did not fight for a *flag.* They fought for the values the flag represents. One of those values is freedom of speech— even (and especially) when the speech is highly offensive.
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) June 16, 2019
We have the dumb flag burning debate every few years but it’s really good at exposing which “free speech” advocates don’t actually care about free speech pic.twitter.com/EElWzaQfSB
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) June 16, 2019
Texas v. Johnson 1989 already decided the question of flag burning.
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) June 16, 2019
I don’t want to live in a nation where a POTUS can invalidate SCOTUS decisions on a whim.
That’s called a dictatorship. https://t.co/SpRwfbPwaX
When you’re so upset about burning flags you want to burn the constitution. https://t.co/l9VqAENQ4W
— Ben (@BenHowe) June 16, 2019
You can still have a nationalist movement that admits it's legal for a handful of lunatics to burn the flag. But you can't have one if it's banned from the Internet.
— Scott Greer (@ScottMGreer) June 16, 2019
Why does POTUS and Republicans do nothing about the latter? https://t.co/k17P58wh0s
I don’t support burning the American flag, but I support free speech, and the freedom of people to put their ignorance on display if they so desire. https://t.co/g6wTJAh8qD
— Alana Mastrangelo (@ARmastrangelo) June 16, 2019
Flag Burning:
— Millie Weaver (@Millie__Weaver) June 16, 2019
Soldiers die to protect Freedom of Speech therefore idiots are free to burn the flag. The gov't shouldn't infringe on rights!
However, do so at your own risk! Most vets & Americans don't take kindly to it & you may find yourself in a situation.