To the honorable Senator Bill Frist:
A few things to think about this summer as you attempt your foolishness in the Senate, trying to bring a vote on a constitutional amendment against flag-burning to the table:
FACT: Currently only China, Cuba and Iran have national laws against flag burning. Iraq, under Saddam Hussein also had a national law against the act.
Mr. Frist, in case you needed a world politics refresher, those are two facist communist nations, an Islamofacist nation and a nation that was deemed enough of a threat to freedom and our interests that we invaded and currently occupy it.
FACT: Incidents of Flag-burning have actually rapidly DECLINED since 9/11, without a law or an amendment in place. In fact, even throughout history, there has only been around 200 flag burnings that would warrant prosecution under this new amendment, total.
Mr. Frist, in case you needed a mathematics refresher, that is less than one flag burning incident per year.
FACT: This proposed flag burning amendment has a provision which allows it to remain legal for burning for proper disposal purposes, so to not prosecute members of the military, policemen, firemen or boy scouts.
Mr. Frist, in case you needed a lesson in common civics, this amendment isn't banning AN ACT (the actual burning) but rather THE THOUGHT that goes along with it. When the deciding factor on whether or not something is illegal is whether it's done in support of the government or in protest against it, we achieve a thought police state.
FACTS: If this amendment were placed into the constitution, the United States would join an elite group consisting of China, Cuba and Iran, and become one step closer to a police state, all to address a problem that doesn't even exist. THIS IS WHAT THOSE WHO LEAD OUR SENATE ARE LISTING AS A TOP PRIORITY (like you, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist).
Is it really worth it to drag our country's name through the mud even further than it already has been over the last part of this decade? Is it worth having us once again compared to these extremist nations (like we are when it comes to other things like torture and the death penalty)?
Is it really worth dividing our already fractured nation even more?
Do you really think that low of your own base, and Americans in general, that we are stupid enough to fall for games like this?
Remember, when you attempt to push this back in people's faces this fall as mid-term elections near, there will be a silent majority, growing ever louder, pushing back. And with ammo that compares your 'top priorities' to pushing the United States closer to being like facist, communist, extremist nations, it won't be too hard.
Thanks!