A Response to a letter criticizing Senator Mitch McConnell on his vote against the anti-flag burning amendment.

With all respect I must risk your wrath as I know how you feel, but I must be truthful. This is the ONE, and about the only issue, upon which I agree with Senator McConnell. Think about it: the flag stands for the premise of FREEDOM, even to burn it to express one's displeasure with the government, the state or whatever one associates with the flag.

Is it a contemptible exercise? YES!! Is it dis-respectful? YES!! Does it fulfill ANY of Rotary's Four Way tests? NO!

Yet, that is what the flag stands for--the freedom to express an opinion in such distasteful means. And you know what--there are hardly ANY incidents of flag burning anyway---zilch, none. This issue is repeatedly brought forth by politicians seeking to rile the emotionalism of voters they hope will vote for them. There simply IS no problem of flag burning and even if there were, that would mean there are some serious problems in the country that must be addressed. Better to allow such venting than to squelch free speech, driving it underground to fester and ferment.

Another factor--an especially vital one to those who trumpet the Ten Commandments--is that to seek this kind of protection for a piece of cloth, the FLAG, is to IDOLIZE that object, thus VIOLATING THE SECOND COMMANDMENT..."Make unto thee no graven image..."

Rather than skewer McConnell look at the motives of those pushing this red herring amendment non-issue.

Sincerely, Richard

ps. I can and do criticize McConnell on his many votes against the greater public interest and FOR private/corporate greed. He represents much of what is wrong with our political system and with the ever increasing concentration of power and wealth in the hands of the few, at the expense of the many.

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