Maybe we should just get a poll up to enable people to vote on whether they're pro or con in this matter. Then we all know and we can get on with SWR stuff.

Okay I'm calmer now. However, I do stand by my point that the death of a person, a needless death, no matter how misguided they may or may not have been, is always always a tragedy.

 

Gonk: A hypothetical. In fact I'll address this to all the Americans. In GB, certainly England, I'm fairly sure that someone burning our flag would be thought of as odd, misguided, a bit of a twat, and possibly arrested for disturbing the peace. Depending on the circumstance they may also have been charged with inciting racial hatred.

 

In your opinions, how would she have been treated in America? Would she have been able to capture our attention like this is she had done it in her own country and hadn't died? In fact I'd like to hear answers from every country here.

 

Thoughts please?

Well, to be perfectly honest, I don't feel that burning national flags should be punishable by in democratic nation. Now, that doesn't mean I agree to burning national flags but it does mean that I feel that doing so is a matter of opinion and, last time I checked, being able to express an opinion was one of those freedoms we cherisch and guard in Western democratic society. As such I most certainly do not think that someone burning a national flag deserves to die.

 

However, I must admit that seeing groups of zealous people burning the American flag gives me a very eerie feeling, because it seems to me that these people have no sense of reason. And, for that matter, I must say that I'm not an American, which means that I haven't had Twin Towers attacked and thousands of people killed, which means I haven't heared any fatwa's issued against my citizens telling the world that all Americans deserve to die. This being the case, I sometimes feel that America is judged rather easily and harshly by non-Americans with regard to their current war against terrorism.

 

In the end, then, war is never okay in a humanitary sense. I don't know who said it, but he was right when he said: "The first casualty of war is reason."

Interesting, where are you from by the way?

 

I agree about the freedom of speech, but one of the things a lot of people forget is the way in which we are supposed to use that privilidge (sorry I can't spell). Basically we have a moral obligation and responsibility about how we conduct ourselves. Much as it is illegal to expose too much flesh in public, ultimately because it can offend others, we also have to be sensible about how much of our THOUGHTS and beliefs we expose in public. Burning a flag is highly symbolic. Essentially you are insulting everything that country stands for. To do it in a public place and take photos, as opposed to doing it in the privacy of your back garden, is pretty irresponsible.

 

Whilst we have the right to free speech, that right is limited by our obligation to show respect for others feelings. I'm fairly sure that's common to all religions as well as Christianity, which is what our law is based on here in England.

I agree, Elvis. Believe me, burning national flags is neither something I would do, nor something I would advocate.

 

By the way, it's nice to have a discussion thread without throwing deathwishes at eachother.

Yeah, kinda makes you wonder what goes on behind closed doors in the UN and other places.

 

Wouldn't you just die wanting to know?

 

Oh, and where, might I ask, is Area 52.567?

This topic will be locked. Those that have been abusing these forums have been notified. Do not let this happen again.

 

This forum is not for slamming one another. Do this on your own server.