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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, June 5, 2003

EDITORIAL
Quit wasting time on banning flag-burning

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag-burning is protected free speech. End of story? Unfortunately not.

Since then, Congress has made five attempts to pass an amendment to the Constitution that would outlaw the desecration of Old Glory. And this week, the House voted in favor of a measure to override the Supreme Court decision.

We wish they'd give it up because it's not worth amending the Bill of Rights for a non-issue.

As widely revered as it is, the American flag is a piece of cloth that symbolizes different things to different people.

"The government may not prohibit the verbal or nonverbal expression of an idea merely because society finds the idea offensive or disagreeable, even where our flag is involved," said then-Justice William J. Brennan in the 1989 decision.

We're glad to remember those sentiments, because when it comes to setting priorities, we'll place the right to political expression before criminalizing flag-burning every time. It's our patriotic duty.