Of flags and folly: real patriots defend the U.S. constitution.Real patriotism consists not of merely waving flags or decking homes, businesses and public buildings with yards of red, white and blue bunting The Blue Bunting is a species of bunting found in North America. It is very similar in appearance to the Indigo Bunting, but is a deeper blue and has a larger bill. The males display deep blue plumage which may appear black in poor lighting, with blackish wings and tail edged with . Real patriotism is the courage to stick your neck out and even risk community disdain for the purpose of defending our Constitution. Some of those serving in our national leadership today don't seem to understand those principles. Instead, we suffer a glut glut pronounced as rut, slut Vox populi An excess of a service or skilled labor in a particular area. See Physician glut. of politicians who trade on the symbols of patriotism in a shameless shame·less adj. 1. Feeling no shame; impervious to disgrace. 2. Marked by a lack of shame: a shameless lie. bid for votes. Consider recent developments in Congress. Prodded by the Religious Right, the House of Representatives is considering a so-called "Pledge Protection Act" that would strip the federal courts of their ability to hear cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance, in full, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, oath that proclaims loyalty to the United States. and its national symbol. . At the same time, the Senate is debating a constitutional amendment to ban "desecration" of the American flag. In 1943, a group of Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian group originating in the United States at the end of the 19th cent., organized by Charles Taze Russell, whose doctrine centers on the Second Coming of Christ. stood up for the right of their children not to be forced to salute the flag in public schools. They took this action during wartime. It was also a period when many Witnesses were being assaulted because of their belief that flag salutes elevate government over God. Ruling in their favor in West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. Board of Education v. Barnette, Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson Robert Jackson may refer to:
Had the Pledge Protection Act been in place in 1943, Walter Barnette and the other Witnesses would have had no right to bring that case in federal court. Yet the principles expressed in the majority opinion are just as relevant today as they were in 1943. We are a better country with the Barnette ruling. In that decision, we learned that our nation is strong enough to tolerate dissent. Likewise, our nation's commitment to freedom of expression is powerful enough to encompass the small number of people who choose to bum flags every year. Real patriots understand this. Real patriots also understand what Congress is doing now and why. Measures like the Pledge Protection Act and the flag desecration amendment The Flag Desecration Amendment, often referred to as the flag burning amendment, is a controversial proposed constitutional amendment to the United States Constitution that would allow the United States Congress to statutorily prohibit expression of political views through are introduced during election years to play on emotions and to motivate the far right. And that raises a final difference between phony patriots and real patriots: Real patriots understand that the one thing that can never be excused is an activity that these days is the favorite pastime of phony patriots: placing our fundamental freedoms at risk to score cheap political points. |
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