Should flag burning be legal?

I love our flag, our Constitution and our country with a love that has no bounds. I defended all three for 35 years as a soldier and was willing to give my life in their defense. [But] the 1st Amendment exists to insure that freedom of speech and expression applies not just to that with which we agree or disagree, but also that which we find outrageous. I would not amend that great shield of democracy to hammer a few miscreants. The flag will be flying proudly long after they have slunk away.

I cannot imagine anything more abhorrent to a veteran than seeing the flag they fought for being burned to make a political point. ... I share outrage at the thought of it being disrespected. And though I have never seen anyone burn a flag, if I did, it would take every ounce of restraint I had not to haul off and hit them. But we live in a country of laws. Laws are what stop people from resorting to physical violence to settle disagreements, and laws are what protect free speech.

For over a decade, the ACLU has fought to keep a proposed constitutional amendment [banning flag burning which would] limit the First Amendment from becoming a reality. We must always remain vigilant against any attempts to write censorship into our Constitution. We applaud the Senators who voted to reject this attack on freedom. Sadly, it remains likely that this misguided proposal will come back again.