Flag Burning Amendment in Flames

Yahoo/AP reports:

WASHINGTON - A constitutional amendment to ban flag desecration died in a Senate cliffhanger Tuesday, a single vote short of the support needed to send it to the states for ratification a week before Independence Day.

The flag is sacred, not because of what it is, but because of the freedom for which it stands. Venerating your symbols more than freedom is a bad slope down.

Know that I support the right of a Teamster, Veteran, or other patriot to punch the mouth of a flag burner. But as far as legal protection, put me down with Taranto and Instapundit.

UPDATE: Attila at PillageIdiot agrees and proposes a defense of flag protectors from assault charges.

DEFENSE FOR ASSAULT ON FLAG-BURNERS: It shall be a defense to a charge of simple assault that the person assaulted was burning or attempting to burn the American flag.

Posted by jk at June 27, 2006 7:33 PM