Comments on: Stars and Gripes(Considering the sanity of the U.S. Flag Code)

By: Dakota Starr

Dakota Starr — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:56:05 +0000

The main issue is that we have too many people in this nation who don’t care for the flag…one of them being Barack Obama!! I am a firm believer in patriotism and loving ones country, and I think that any one who disrespects the flag code should be arrsted. A sign of disrespect to our flag is worst then spitting on the president himself. the flag means freedom, democracy, the the rights that the rest of the world only wish they could have!

By: ed decker

ed decker — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:54:01 +0000

Jesus H. Christ Bill, your letter reads like a an unanchored buoy — your just drifting all over the place. And you analogies need to get off the crack cocaine. “Following your logic, a judge in a Bible belt state should be able to have a cross displayed in his/her chambers.”
That’s not following my logic at all. My logic is flying to South America and yours is driving to Disneyland. Not only is your logic not following my logic, they’re on totally different elevations.
Your point that you don’t see me, ” calling for the restaurant owner to be cited or prosecuted,” proves that you have either A. Lost your ability to reason or B. not read the article you are commenting on.
Of course I’m not calling for the restaurant owner to be prosecuted — the whole column was about NOT prosecuting offenders of the flag code, that the flag code shouldn’t be a law in the first place.
I didn’t even call for Broussard’s prosecution, which I should have since what he did was vandalize and steal somebody’s private property — which should be illegal, and should be prosecuted.
Lastly, if a German restaurant wanted to display a swastika I would do nothing to try to stop them. I believe in their right to display it – even if there was no historically benign meaning behind it, even if it always only was one of the most potent symbols of hate and evil the world has ever seen, I would still defend the right of the restaurant to display it.
As for GD Ghirdi, Jesus H. Christ girl. (Did you know Jesus’s middle name was Hornblower?) What the hell are you talking about? If karma worked, there wouldn’t be all these other normal, regular, bad-karma-free people who have been flushed out of their homes suffering right now. The fires are not put here by Libra, or God, or Satan, or Karma to punish or reward anybody for anything. Fire has no brain and does not distinguish between who or what it immolates. Jesus H! You should hang out with Bill. You both could spend hours and hours making no sense with each other.
ed decker

By: gdghirardi

gdghirardi — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:53:25 +0000

http://www.sundiegolive.com/ Click on the American Flag on San Diego Fire Info Site - If you believe in divine justice or any other kind it is hard not to look behind the curtain of San Diego's multi-billion dollar defense industries and not see some karmic justice being laid out in the rich areas of destruction in the path of the super-fire now trashing Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, Rancho Bernardo and environs. The beneficiaries of this "lifestyle" of cultural amnesia is now being paid for by mother nature or ever is responsible. The concept of justice is found in the Greek goddess of Libra: http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images2/me... and is based on a realization of the cycle of life saves no one from the eventuality of being handed back what they dish out. Goddess of justice, Libra balances the scales for Afghanis and Iraqis, well not nearly

By: Roberto

Roberto — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:52:04 +0000

Bill…what you just spewed out makes no sense. You don’t have any consistency and you sound like a moron. I suggest you enroll in a critical thinking class at the local community college. SDSU might be too difficult for you to get accepted at.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:51:16 +0000

Ed, you ignorent slut! To fly the mexican Flag above the U.S. Flag is an affront ot every Veteran that ever wnet to a far off battlefield, defending American Values/Ideals. Jim Broussard is a Veteran and took o0ffence. Did he break the law? Sure he did. Did the Restaurant owner break the law? Again, absolutly. Two worngs don’s make a right but I don’t see you calling for the restaurant owner to be cited or prosecuted. In the past, I have read your comments and one reoccuring comment (regarding current laws on the books) is, “If you don’t like the law, work to change the law.” In California, we are likely to find writers with opinions similar to yours. Prosecute that bastard Jim Broussard, for theft, property damage, etc. In Alabama, Tennessee or New York, for that matter, scuh opinions would likely result in Advertisers canceling contracts with parent publications. Does that make your opinion anyless valid. Not in the least. let’s face it, if you were truly a deep think political commentator, you would be writing for the LA Times or the San Francisco Chronical. As it is, you are just another leftwing liberal commenting in a small weekly. The U.S. Flag is a symbol. It is a shining beacon to millions around the world. it is a symbol worthy of respect and the laws that outline what that respect is. Following your logic, a judge in a Bible belt state should be able to have a cross displayed in his/her chambers. But, I venture to say that you would be first in line to say that the cross needed to come down. OR, how would you feel if a german Restaurant decided to display a Swastika? Before you answer, research the Swastika. The Swastika started out as a symbol of faith smd hopr before the Nazi’s bastardized it into a symbol of hate and oppression. As a veteran, I can honestly say that I find it horrible that anyone woudl abuse, debase or disrespect the flag. However, some 27 years ago, I swore to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Enemies can include those that willingly violate Federal law. In reality, it means I would support someones right to burn the flag, even though I disagree.
Paunchy Old White guy.

By: ed decker

ed decker — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:49:05 +0000

uh-huh-huh-uh… Jim said pole
Ed Decker

By: Jim Ballew

Jim Ballew — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:48:07 +0000

The one thing about the whole flag desecration/burning/not-appreciating-enough thing that people always want to stand behind, but don’t fully grasp, is the idea that it is a symbol. The flag is not freedom or independence or tyranny or any of those things Americans attribute to it. It is a flag. There is no physical connection between that piece of fabric and the things people think it stands for, and furthermore, it does not stand for the same things for all people.
The idea that a person (or the government, for that matter) tries to project their idea of what this starry-striped piece of fabric should stand for on to others is absurd. Meanings for symbols and words evolve over time, and if somebody thinks that Mexico is better than America and flies one flag higher than the other, taking that Mexican flag down is not going to change the way they feel. If anything, it’s only going to solidify their feelings and move the American flag further down the pole, if there is a place left for it at all.
Bottom line, if people are going to appreciate a symbol, they have to appreciate what it symbolizes as well. And what it symbolizes is totally subjective — not something that can be forced by random acts of flagpole climbing.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:46:51 +0000

Great article. My only beef:
“It’s called speech and it’s supposed to be relatively free.”
No, it is called speech and it is supposed to BE FREE. Not relatively, somewhat or even mostly. Free. Incremental surrender is still surrender. Let reasonable minds rationalize controlling voices, but not journalists, thanks.
I disagree with time, manner and place restrictions. I disagree with defining speech in limited ways. I disagree with any limit on speech or acts as speech because I simply like to talk in whatever manner I like, whenever I like, wherever I like.
So should you, Decker.
Otherwise, I love your work… mostly…

By: Rob G.

Rob G. — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:45:46 +0000

Wow…that Chris dude must have voted for the Idiot. Yes…the idiot with a capital I who resides in the capitol D.C. I guess you don’t understand the meaning of the flag Chris. The Constitution guarantees the citizens of this great nation Freedom of Speech. The flag is representative of all of the liberties that the Constitution guarantees us (including free speech). So if I want to burn the flag and exercise my right to speak freely, then the flag actually affords me this right. Get it now Chris? Probably not…I know I used a lot of multi-syllable words like “Constitution” and “understand.” But maybe one day somebody will write a book called “Common Sense for Dummies” and you’ll get a clue. Cheers!

By: Dominic

Dominic — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 02:30:28 +0000

Ed,
Kudos on your Stars & Gripes article.
Excellent observation on the particular adverbs that describe the raising and lowering of the flag. For language is in fact the one tool that we have to understand and interpret our world. Many politicians know this too well as they easily name opponents “terrorists”and in doing so automatically demonify them. Anyways, great article.
Thanks for all your work and POV.
P.S. Now that KLSD AM 1360 is going down City Beat will only be that much more important!
Dominic Carr O.B., San Diego