I will attack one point per argument, respectively. ......
Flag Desecration should always be legal
I would never burn a flag. I feel like it is completely disrespectful and immoral. If you want to burn a flag, I would respect you that much less. If I saw you burn a flag before you interview for a job with me, your chances of getting the job are very slim. However, should the government outlaw flag desecration, I don't care if you were the president, you are not getting that job! There are three points here that I think are central to my stance. They are the first amendment, Morality v. Legality (Oppression), and the overall ludicrousness of it all. I will attack one point per argument, respectively. This argument I will be discussing the first amendment. The first amendment gives us basic rights, citing specifically the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. I generally consider it to be my favorite amendment, even though it means we can't outlaw Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. I like it because it is the basis of basic personal freedoms (say that ten times fast). It means we are constantly censored (in theory). Tell that to the FCC and they'll find you some loophole, but the theory is the same. It keeps the government out of your personal life. If Rick Warren wants me to go to church every Sunday morning and then kick me out when I drop the F bomb and then doesn't publish my complaint in the church newspaper because we assembled and petitioned to kick him out, so be it. If it's Barack Obama doing that, it's illegal. Burning a flag is a form of speech. It is illegal for it to be illegal. Pure and simple. Go ahead and tell me that it isn't speech. Much like songs and American Sign Language, censor it freely. I'm sure my deaf friend Betsy would be absolutely giddy to learn that she can no longer sign anything that insults the government. I'm looking forward to your response (as long as it doesn't insult the government, of course)!