Flag desecration ban passes House

[TitanTiger 20,510]

p.s. Burn a United States Flag in front of me..... I DARE you.

165604[/snapback]

Tim, you reminded me of something I heard years ago.

Your freedom ends where my nose begins.

165640[/snapback]

Anyone that burns the Flag of the Country that my grandfather DIED protecting, as I said.....Burn it in front of me at your peril. Freedom has a price. So does freedom of speech. Burning the American Flag is an act of cowardice and/or stupidity. It accomplishes nothing. Nothing, that is, unless you burn it in front of me.

165671[/snapback]

And while I understand the feelings you describe, if they did so, the gov't should do nothing to them, but if you thrash them as you seem to be suggesting, you would rightly and justly be prosecuted. Freedom of speech does have social consequences: public ridicule, loss of reputation, privately initiated economic consequences, facing counterprotests, and if your actions drag the name of your employer into the fray without their consent, you could lose your job with a private company.

The protestor has a right to his/her freedom of expression. No one has a right to use physical violence or coercion to stop them.

[MDM4AU 336]

For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

165346[/snapback]

"...these flagburning nitwits..."

You seem to think that you've identified such people as a discernable group with a certain set of views, and they exist in some sort of definable, critical mass. How many flag burners do we actually have in a given year? None of my "liberal" friends would even consider burning a flag. You seem to have created your fantasy liberal that you attach all your stereotypes to. Guess its easy to hate people when you can define them any way you want.

165511[/snapback]

What the... :unsure:

[TexasTiger 13,016]

For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

165346[/snapback]

"...these flagburning nitwits..."

You seem to think that you've identified such people as a discernable group with a certain set of views, and they exist in some sort of definable, critical mass. How many flag burners do we actually have in a given year? None of my "liberal" friends would even consider burning a flag. You seem to have created your fantasy liberal that you attach all your stereotypes to. Guess its easy to hate people when you can define them any way you want.

165511[/snapback]

What the... :unsure:

165696[/snapback]

What do you fail to understand?

[MDM4AU 336]

For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

165346[/snapback]

"...these flagburning nitwits..."

You seem to think that you've identified such people as a discernable group with a certain set of views, and they exist in some sort of definable, critical mass. How many flag burners do we actually have in a given year? None of my "liberal" friends would even consider burning a flag. You seem to have created your fantasy liberal that you attach all your stereotypes to. Guess its easy to hate people when you can define them any way you want.

165511[/snapback]

What the... :unsure:

165696[/snapback]

What do you fail to understand?

165699[/snapback]

Please accept my dearest and most sincere apologies oh Tiger from Texas. At first glance, based on what you chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals. Sorry to question anything you post and forcing you to be condescending. I know how you hate to be that way. Friends?

[TexasTiger 13,016]

For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

165346[/snapback]

"...these flagburning nitwits..."

You seem to think that you've identified such people as a discernable group with a certain set of views, and they exist in some sort of definable, critical mass. How many flag burners do we actually have in a given year? None of my "liberal" friends would even consider burning a flag. You seem to have created your fantasy liberal that you attach all your stereotypes to. Guess its easy to hate people when you can define them any way you want.

165511[/snapback]

What the... :unsure:

165696[/snapback]

What do you fail to understand?

165699[/snapback]

Please accept my dearest and most sincere apologies oh Tiger from Texas. At first glance, based on what you chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals. Sorry to question anything you post and forcing you to be condescending. I know how you hate to be that way. Friends?

165714[/snapback]

Question all you want. I was just trying to figure out the question.

[Tiger Al 0]

For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

165346[/snapback]

"...these flagburning nitwits..."

You seem to think that you've identified such people as a discernable group with a certain set of views, and they exist in some sort of definable, critical mass. How many flag burners do we actually have in a given year? None of my "liberal" friends would even consider burning a flag. You seem to have created your fantasy liberal that you attach all your stereotypes to. Guess its easy to hate people when you can define them any way you want.

165511[/snapback]

What the... :unsure:

165696[/snapback]

What do you fail to understand?

165699[/snapback]

Please accept my dearest and most sincere apologies oh Tiger from Texas. At first glance, based on what you chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals. Sorry to question anything you post and forcing you to be condescending. I know how you hate to be that way. Friends?

165714[/snapback]

Although I really don't have a dog in this fight, I think it's pretty obvious to who TIS was alluding. The language and tone is very familiar, don't you agree?

[MDM4AU 336]

For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

165346[/snapback]

"...these flagburning nitwits..."

You seem to think that you've identified such people as a discernable group with a certain set of views, and they exist in some sort of definable, critical mass. How many flag burners do we actually have in a given year? None of my "liberal" friends would even consider burning a flag. You seem to have created your fantasy liberal that you attach all your stereotypes to. Guess its easy to hate people when you can define them any way you want.

165511[/snapback]

What the... :unsure:

165696[/snapback]

What do you fail to understand?

165699[/snapback]

Please accept my dearest and most sincere apologies oh Tiger from Texas. At first glance, based on what you chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals. Sorry to question anything you post and forcing you to be condescending. I know how you hate to be that way. Friends?

165714[/snapback]

Although I really don't have a dog in this fight, I think it's pretty obvious to who TIS was alluding. The language and tone is very familiar, don't you agree?

165737[/snapback]

You do have a dog in it...your trusty sidekick Tex against the Evil Conservative MDM. Otherwise you would have understood my remarks about "...based on what (Tex) chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals." At first glance it appears that Tex is either putting words into TIS post or tagging liberals as flagburning nitwits. Then, after Tex questioned me, I went back and read other posts and found that TIS had mentioned liberals in an earlier post. Hence, my apology.

[Tiger Al 0]

Please accept my dearest and most sincere apologies oh Tiger from Texas.  At first glance, based on what you chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals.  Sorry to question anything you post and forcing you to be condescending.  I know how you hate to be that way. Friends?

165714[/snapback]

Although I really don't have a dog in this fight, I think it's pretty obvious to who TIS was alluding. The language and tone is very familiar, don't you agree?

165737[/snapback]

You do have a dog in it...your trusty sidekick Tex against the Evil Conservative MDM. Otherwise you would have understood my remarks about "...based on what (Tex) chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals." At first glance it appears that Tex is either putting words into TIS post or tagging liberals as flagburning nitwits. Then, after Tex questioned me, I went back and read other posts and found that TIS had mentioned liberals in an earlier post. Hence, my apology.

165820[/snapback]

Believe it or not, MDM, you are one of the few conservatives here that I hold out hope for!!! And, I don't think you're evil.

[Auburn85 432]

yeah,burnging the flag is ok...but God forbid if we bump or touch a Quran

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Believe it or not, MDM, you are one of the few conservatives here that I hold out hope for!!! And, I don't think you're evil.

Uh, mega-dittoes!

[Tiger in Spain 0]

You do have a dog in it...your trusty sidekick Tex against the Evil Conservative MDM.  Otherwise you would have understood my remarks about "...based on what (Tex) chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals."  At first glance it appears that Tex is either putting words into TIS post or tagging liberals as flagburning nitwits.  Then, after Tex questioned me, I went back and read other posts and found that TIS had mentioned liberals in an earlier post.  Hence, my apology.

165820[/snapback]

Wait a minute, although I mentioned liberals in my post, I never once tagged them as flag burning nitwits. Here is my original post:

I don't think it should be an amendment to the constitiution, but I also believe that if someone hates America enough to burn my flag should get out. Afterall, if we as Americans cannot respect our own symbolism, how can we expect others in the world to? That is the liberal idiom today right, what the world thinks of us? In my humble opinion, it's not freedom of speech in this instance, it's flat out disrespect. The flag didn't do anything, and burning it accomplishes nothing other than increasing the polarization already present in the country. If these "free speech" activists with zippos want to really get their point across, why not do something that might actually make a difference. That would take effort on their part, so we know them doing something constructive won't ever happen.

Hypocrisy is such an intriguing trait. For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If a group of kids want to recite the pledge or say a prayer before a school sporting event, they aren't met with applause by these activists praising their right to speak freely, they are met with lawsuits to stifle their freedom to speech.

That being said, I should be excused if I use my Constitutionally protected right to free speech when I say that I will beat the living hell out of anybody I see burning the symbol of freedom that my brothers and sisters in arms and I fought for. Fair is fair, right?

The only point I made about liberals is that they are too concerned with world opinion. My point was if we are so quick to make with the zippos and torch the symbol of our country, how can we expect anyone else in the world to respect it (which is the whole basis for the liberals argument today). I never once equated flagburners to be liberals, I called them nitwits.

Way to spin that one around, TexasTiger. But once again (for the hundredth time) you're wrong.

[TexasTiger 13,016]

You do have a dog in it...your trusty sidekick Tex against the Evil Conservative MDM.  Otherwise you would have understood my remarks about "...based on what (Tex) chose to quote, I saw no mention of liberals."  At first glance it appears that Tex is either putting words into TIS post or tagging liberals as flagburning nitwits.   Then, after Tex questioned me, I went back and read other posts and found that TIS had mentioned liberals in an earlier post.  Hence, my apology.

165820[/snapback]

Wait a minute, although I mentioned liberals in my post, I never once tagged them as flag burning nitwits. Here is my original post:

I don't think it should be an amendment to the constitiution, but I also believe that if someone hates America enough to burn my flag should get out. Afterall, if we as Americans cannot respect our own symbolism, how can we expect others in the world to? That is the liberal idiom today right, what the world thinks of us? In my humble opinion, it's not freedom of speech in this instance, it's flat out disrespect. The flag didn't do anything, and burning it accomplishes nothing other than increasing the polarization already present in the country. If these "free speech" activists with zippos want to really get their point across, why not do something that might actually make a difference. That would take effort on their part, so we know them doing something constructive won't ever happen.

Hypocrisy is such an intriguing trait. For the most part, these flagburning nitwits are the idiots who insist that Americans handle the Koran with satin gloves in the face of our terrorist enemies. What would they say if an American soldier burned a Koran? I doubt they would extend freedom of speech to cover him. Same thing though. These are the same pinheads that refuse to allow school students the same freedom of speech they consider flag burning to be by allowing them to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If a group of kids want to recite the pledge or say a prayer before a school sporting event, they aren't met with applause by these activists praising their right to speak freely, they are met with lawsuits to stifle their freedom to speech.

That being said, I should be excused if I use my Constitutionally protected right to free speech when I say that I will beat the living hell out of anybody I see burning the symbol of freedom that my brothers and sisters in arms and I fought for. Fair is fair, right?

The only point I made about liberals is that they are too concerned with world opinion. My point was if we are so quick to make with the zippos and torch the symbol of our country, how can we expect anyone else in the world to respect it (which is the whole basis for the liberals argument today). I never once equated flagburners to be liberals, I called them nitwits.

Way to spin that one around, TexasTiger. But once again (for the hundredth time) you're wrong.

165966[/snapback]

How many flagburners do you think there are a in a typical year in the US?

[TitanTiger 20,510]

How many flagburners do you think there are a in a typical year in the US?

165972[/snapback]

This is an excellent question. My guess is that this is a lot of time and energy wasted on what is essentially a non-problem.

[WarTim 3,457]

p.s. Burn a United States Flag in front of me..... I DARE you.

165604[/snapback]

Tim, you reminded me of something I heard years ago.

Your freedom ends where my nose begins.

165640[/snapback]

Anyone that burns the Flag of the Country that my grandfather DIED protecting, as I said.....Burn it in front of me at your peril. Freedom has a price. So does freedom of speech. Burning the American Flag is an act of cowardice and/or stupidity. It accomplishes nothing. Nothing, that is, unless you burn it in front of me.

165671[/snapback]

And while I understand the feelings you describe, if they did so, the gov't should do nothing to them, but if you thrash them as you seem to be suggesting, you would rightly and justly be prosecuted. Freedom of speech does have social consequences: public ridicule, loss of reputation, privately initiated economic consequences, facing counterprotests, and if your actions drag the name of your employer into the fray without their consent, you could lose your job with a private company.

The protestor has a right to his/her freedom of expression. No one has a right to use physical violence or coercion to stop them.

165675[/snapback]

Titan, you are 100% correct. But, I would still take care of business.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

Titan, you are 100% correct. But, I would still take care of business.

165985[/snapback]

But doesn't it sort of trample on the one of the essential things that makes this country great (freedom of speech/expression) if you resort to physical intimidation/violence to shut someone up? I mean, it's one thing to pound someone if they are attacking you or someone else. But the idea of freedom of speech is that there is a marketplace of ideas where you "defeat" your opponent (in this case, the flagburner) by with your own free speech. Resorting to physical means tends to undermine your position, and unless you kill him, isn't likely to silence his speech anyway.

I know you're being a tad facetious, but I'm going with it to illustrate a point.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

How many flagburners do you think there are a in a typical year in the US?

165972[/snapback]

Please read my posts before you go running off at the mouth. I said back on page 2 that :

While flag burning in this country is not at an epidemic level, I still fail to see the purpose it serves.

Recall that I said I was not in favor of amending the constitution to ban flag burning. However, I said that if the flag burning nitwits see burning the flag as freedom of speech, then surely they should be able to grasp the concept of getting the charred remains of that flag crammed down their throat as someones rebuttal to their opinion.

[Tiger Al 0]

How many flagburners do you think there are a in a typical year in the US?

165972[/snapback]

Please read my posts before you go running off at the mouth. I said back on page 2 that :

While flag burning in this country is not at an epidemic level, I still fail to see the purpose it serves.

Recall that I said I was not in favor of amending the constitution to ban flag burning. However, I said that if the flag burning nitwits see burning the flag as freedom of speech, then surely they should be able to grasp the concept of getting the charred remains of that flag crammed down their throat as someones rebuttal to their opinion.

165989[/snapback]

Have you always hit people you disagree with?

[TexasTiger 13,016]

How many flagburners do you think there are a in a typical year in the US?

165972[/snapback]

Please read my posts before you go running off at the mouth. I said back on page 2 that :

While flag burning in this country is not at an epidemic level, I still fail to see the purpose it serves.

Recall that I said I was not in favor of amending the constitution to ban flag burning. However, I said that if the flag burning nitwits see burning the flag as freedom of speech, then surely they should be able to grasp the concept of getting the charred remains of that flag crammed down their throat as someones rebuttal to their opinion.

165989[/snapback]

Asking a valid question is "running off at the mouth"? You wanna hit me, too?

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Have you always hit people you disagree with?

166037[/snapback]

Of course, doesn't everyone?

Asking a valid question is "running off at the mouth"? You wanna hit me, too?

Given your habit of asking the same questions repetitiously, one tires of having to repeat themselves when the answer is readily available. Then again, one of the benefits of liberalism is having everything handed to you instead of getting out and looking for it yourself.

[TexasTiger 13,016]

Have you always hit people you disagree with?

166037[/snapback]

Of course, doesn't everyone?

Asking a valid question is "running off at the mouth"? You wanna hit me, too?

Given your habit of asking the same questions repetitiously, one tires of having to repeat themselves when the answer is readily available. Then again, one of the benefits of liberalism is having everything handed to you instead of getting out and looking for it yourself.

166169[/snapback]

If I repeated this question it is because you never answered it. Still haven't.

However, you don't seem to mind repeating yourself. Most of your posts are variations of others you've posted before.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

If I repeated this question it is because you never answered it. Still haven't.

However, you don't seem to mind repeating yourself.  Most of your posts are variations of others you've posted before.

166171[/snapback]

I guess you can call me consistent then. Its better to hold a set of beliefs than to sit there and blow in the wind.

"Running off at the mouth" describes the act of blabbing on and on without adding anything to the conversation other than uneducated animadversions.

To get back on the subject though, a flag burning amendment is the last thing Congress should deal with, much like all the hulaboo over the Terri Schiavo case. Personally, I think people that would light our flag on fire to be idiots. People like TexasTiger will never understand why it is so painful to soldiers to see such outrages in the very country they risked their lives to defend. That the constitution we have sworn to uphold and defend is treated as toilet paper by many liberals under the guise of "free speech". The only time some of these nitwits refer to it is to seek its protection even though they chip away at its liberties. But, nonetheless, flag burning laws should be about judgment and prudence. If we can tolerate it, fine. But if we can’t tolerate it, that’s fine too. There’s no sacred right to burn the flag and there’s no sacred proscription against it either. It seems to be that the question shouldn’t be addressed in the Constitution one way or the other but by the judgment of the people who are asked to tolerate such idiocy.

[TexasTiger 13,016]

People like TexasTiger will never understand why it is so painful to soldiers to see such outrages in the very country they risked their lives to defend.

TIS, I respect your service more than you are obviously capable of understanding. But I do resent your sanctimonious whining and your repeated assertions that you are somehow a superior American to me and others who disagree with you about anything. Right out of the Karl Rove handbook.

My father was a career soldier who served two tours in Viet Nam. When this issue came up in the 80s he said that while he loved the flag, he didn't risk his life just to protect the flag, but rather for the freedom it represented-- which included the freedom to burn it-- as much as it would pain and anger him to see it. I understood that loud and clear.

I guess this is what you call adding something to the conversation:

However, I said that if the flag burning nitwits see burning the flag as freedom of speech, then surely they should be able to grasp the concept of getting the charred remains of that flag crammed down their throat as someones rebuttal to their opinion.

You clearly don't understand freedom at all.

[Tiger in Spain 0]

People like TexasTiger will never understand why it is so painful to soldiers to see such outrages in the very country they risked their lives to defend.

TIS, I respect your service more than you are obviously capable of understanding. But I do resent your sanctimonious whining and your repeated assertions that you are somehow a superior American to me and others who disagree with you about anything. Right out of the Karl Rove handbook.

My father was a career soldier who served two tours in Viet Nam. When this issue came up in the 80s he said that while he loved the flag, he didn't risk his life just to protect the flag, but rather for the freedom it represented-- which included the freedom to burn it-- as much as it would pain and anger him to see it. I understood that loud and clear.

I guess this is what you call adding something to the conversation:

However, I said that if the flag burning nitwits see burning the flag as freedom of speech, then surely they should be able to grasp the concept of getting the charred remains of that flag crammed down their throat as someones rebuttal to their opinion.

You clearly don't understand freedom at all.

166177[/snapback]

God bless your father. It seems he and I have something in common.

My father was a career soldier who served two tours in Viet Nam. When this issue came up in the 80s he said that while he loved the flag, he didn't risk his life just to protect the flag, but rather for the freedom it represented-- which included the freedom to burn it-- as much as it would pain and anger him to see it.

What I said:

People like TexasTiger will never understand why it is so painful to soldiers to see such outrages in the very country they risked their lives to defend.

Surely you, the son of a career army man, can see the emotion tied into this one then. It's not about freedom to me or to many of those who share this same view, its about respect. One could make a strong argument that the constitution itself is nothing more than a piece of very old paper...that it is the expression inscribed upon it that really matters. Well guess what, I wouldn't want to see it set ablaze either. If that pride casts me as a right wing neo-con nazi, call me one then. I'll wear the name with pride. You'll never change my mind on this just as I never expect you to change your stripes. It appears as if we have reached our 50-move rule.

BTW and for the record, there are distinct differences between debate and dissent. That is the fuel for my "sanctimonious whining", as you put it. I expect others to love the country and respect its symbols as much as I do and not to see us as forever the bad guy in the world.

[WarTim 3,457]

Titan, you are 100% correct. But, I would still take care of business.

165985[/snapback]

But doesn't it sort of trample on the one of the essential things that makes this country great (freedom of speech/expression) if you resort to physical intimidation/violence to shut someone up? I mean, it's one thing to pound someone if they are attacking you or someone else. But the idea of freedom of speech is that there is a marketplace of ideas where you "defeat" your opponent (in this case, the flagburner) by with your own free speech. Resorting to physical means tends to undermine your position, and unless you kill him, isn't likely to silence his speech anyway.

I know you're being a tad facetious, but I'm going with it to illustrate a point.

165988[/snapback]

It was illegal to disobey the King in the 1700's too!

Sometimes you have to do the right thing even if it is "illegal". If more Americans would put there "foot" on the neck of some of these radical leftist-socialist that are wearing sheep's clothing, we could make this a better Country. My duty is to do MY best every day to do the right thing according to my beliefs and my God. I fail miserably but I am determined to stay the course.

Many are called. Few answer.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

Sometimes you have to do the right thing even if it is "illegal". If more Americans would put there "foot" on the neck of some of these radical leftist-socialist that are wearing sheep's clothing, we could make this a better Country. My duty is to do MY best every day to do the right thing according to my beliefs and my God. I fail miserably but I am determined to stay the course.

Many are called. Few answer.

166235[/snapback]

Given that you've invoked your belief in God, I'd be interested to hear a biblical defense of such actions in response to a flag burner. Especially in light of verses from Jesus Himself:

Matthew 5:38-47

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Luke 6:27-36

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic [2] either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

I mean, if Jesus is telling us to take personal insults and even being outright struck in the face by another and simply "turn the other cheek" and if He calls us to go beyond that and pray for those we see as our enemies...don't you think that physically attacking someone for burning a flag is hard to justify?