The news of a Louisiana State University grad student intending to publically burn the American flag on the campus grounds stirred the expected reaction on the part of students and Veterans equally.
Benjamin Haas, communication studies graduate student, followed the proper procedures to request the permission from the school’s administration to conduct his so-called protest.
I have not been able to find any report indicating what the purpose of the “demonstration” was supposed to be, and really it is not relevant to this writing.
For sake of understanding, though, I read the pre-written message that Haas read to the cameras:
“Funny Facebook said that there were only going to be 64 of you. I initially began this flag burning protest to define due process for students and suspected terrorists alike, to call on LSU and universities across the country to defend basic human rights and avoid putting students into the criminal justice system when it can be taken care of internally.
Solidarity means standing with those who are treated as guilty until proven innocent, instead of the other way around. That’s what freedom is, standing with those who express their constitutional rights in ways that may be unpopular, especially the accused and the marginalized no matter the consequences.
In the name of peace, there will be no flag burning today. This country and the flag that flies over it stands for freedom, democracy, love, peace and the ability to question our government.”
I am not exactly sure I understand who Haas is talking about when he mentions students being placed in the justice system instead of being handled internally, but again my purpose here is to remain isolated from the motivation for the attempted action, however deranged that may be.
I have had done a lot of thought over the years about the issue of flag burning. Initially I only looked at it from an emotional prospective, ready to extol my anger upon the first individual I would witness performing such act.
Subsequently, as I got older and wiser, as I studied and understood the true magnificence of the United States Constitution and its real meaning, I basically made a one eighty on the subject.
Do not misunderstand me, because I still consider those who engage in flag burning are despicable and contempt deserving sub elements of our society, but the most important part of this issue remains that the act is protected by the First Amendment Right.
The American Flag is not property of the government, as for example in Great Britain, but it is a symbol of our country that belongs to the individual. When I purchase a flag, and I pay for it, it is my property. The beauty of this detail is that it is left to the American individual patriot to handle Old Glory respectfully.
By the same rule, if someone is inclined to make a political statement, as in the case of Mr. Haas, as long as the flag he wanted to burn was his own property, than his action, as despicable as it is, is protected by the Constitution. Of course, should he try to burn a University flag, as it happened on the LSU campus just a week earlier by another student, or the property of another individual, than that action would be illegal for other obvious reasons.
I am not inclined to fall in the hypocrisy of the Left. The United States Constitution is not a living, breathing document. First Amendment rights are there and very specific. Those are the same rights that allow Phelps and his degenerate cult to protest at Military funerals.
If we allow the impediment of Free Speech in the case of the flag burning, than what is going to stop a radical political entity to stop what they may consider unacceptable? Then the First Amendment becomes useless.
In the specific case of the LSU gentleman, it is telling that the man was prevented to exercise his First Amendment right by the very exercise of Free Speech. The crowd of people who confronted the man was not organized by the government or the University administration, but it was the result of spontaneous reaction on the part of students who disagree with the message Haas wanted to send.
From the first line of his written statement, it appears that the hopes of Mr. Haas were dashed by the fact that he probably expected more left wing radicals to show up for the “ceremony” that patriotic Americans. After all, he was going to burn Old Glory on a college campus grounds!
It is obvious that the burning of the flag was not going to take place under those circumstances, for safety reasons and the protection of Haas. But it remains curious that, in his statement, Haas describes the flag as the symbol of a country that stands for freedom, democracy, love, peace and the ability to dissent. But if that is his true belief, what purpose would be served by desecrating such symbol?
I am not a body language expert, but watching the video and seeing some of the pictures, I think I can detect a look of fear on the face of Haas, who, as I said, probably did not expect such a rejection from other students. The picture of the Military member in fatigues yelling at him is also telling. Supposedly, he was screaming “my brothers died for you” obviously referring to his brothers-in-arms. With so many Combat Veterans attending colleges around the country, actions like the one Haas was contemplating will likely be met with similar emotional outbursts.
Photo: ADAM VACCARELLA / The Daily Reveille)
Yes, Haas has the right to his political statement. He has the right to seek his 15 minutes of fame. And he definitely has the right to his opinions regarding our great Nation, all rights millions of soldiers have paid in blood to give us, but these who consider such behavior abhorrent also have the right to express their disagreement and counter-protest, as long as the two are exercised under the clear rights enunciated in our Constitution.
Just my thoughts!
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