Barack Obama and "The Star Spangled Banner"

Of course the stupid hurts (3.00 / 2)

However, when you have a commentator on a cable news channel that advertises itself "the most trusted name in news," says about the fires in southern California that it is unfortunate some of those who hate America are losing their houses and nothing happens to him, it is not surprising.

When you have stories about the quality of one of the major candidates laugh, we should not be surprised.

Of course one candidate for President can send agents to a press conference of one major leaders of the opposition party who is going to address some programs for undocumented people among us and nothing seems to happen.

Another candidate can claim that most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were ministers and the fact is only one was, and nothing seems to be reported

The foreign affairs advisers to one candidate are openingly calling for war with Iran NOW, and I have yet to read a story about whether that advice is what the candidate actually believes.

With a straight-face, those who support Bush's veto of the SCHIP program argue that this one more example of partisanship in Congress ignoring the fact that over 40 Republicans in the House supported the bill and the veto would have been overridden in the Senate -- exactly the kind of evidence of bi-partisanship we haven't seen in the last six years.

And, let's not forget we in KC get to read a weekly column of hate by Michel Malkin, an apologist for Japanese internment, in the Kansas City Star.

Is it any wonder why we watch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report to remind us how badly we are served by the "main stream media"?

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by: Bob Yates @ Wed Oct 24, 2007 at 21:23:42 PM CDT

The memo (0.00 / 0)

Unites States Code Title 36 Chapter 10 Section 171 Conduct during playing

During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in  uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in  uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the  hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of  the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present  should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed  there.

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by: Jeff f @ Fri Nov 02, 2007 at 14:16:57 PM CDT

Not exactly (0.00 / 0)

Not exactly, eh?

This code is the guide for all handling and display of the Stars and Stripes. It does not impose penalties for misuse of the United States Flag. That is left to the states and to the federal government for the District of Columbia. Each state has its own flag law.

Criminal penalties for certain acts of desecration to the flag were contained in Title 18 of the United States Code prior to 1989. The Supreme Court decision in Texas v. Johnson; June 21, 1989, held the statute unconstitutional. This statute was amended when the Flag Protection Act of 1989 (Oct. 28, 1989) imposed a fine and/or up to I year in prison for knowingly mutilating, defacing, physically defiling, maintaining on the floor or trampling upon any flag of the United States. The Flag Protection Act of 1989 was struck down by the Supreme Court decision, United States vs. Eichman, decided on June 11, 1990.

While the Code empowers the President of the United States to alter, modify, repeal or prescribe additional rules regarding the Flag, no federal agency has the authority to issue 'official' rulings legally binding on civilians or civilian groups. Consequently, different interpretations of various provisions of the Code may continue to be made. The Flag Code may be fairly tested: 'No disrespect should be shown to the Flag of the United States of America.' Therefore, actions not specifically included in the Code may be deemed acceptable as long as proper respect is shown.

Learn what precedent and stare decisis mean when it comes to the law of the land.

Your "memo" has the same force as one of those Congressional resolutions about mother and apple pie.

Please feel free to cite any federal cases which have taken place concerning violation(s) of "Title 36 Chapter 10 Section 171".

[sound of crickets]

543,895 votes

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by: Michael Bersin @ Wed Nov 07, 2007 at 08:26:40 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Still generating traffic (0.00 / 0)

Since this post is still generating traffic on our blog (due to search engines and the apparent popularity of the meme) I thought it'd be a good idea to provide a link to the follow up post which I made on October 25, 2007:

Those who ignore history are, well....stupid

Yeah, go and read it. You'll learn something about West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943). In a time of war, no less.

...If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us....

543,895 votes

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by: Michael Bersin @ Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:21:20 AM CDT