June 17, 2004
Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to a constitutional amendment that prohibits desecration of the American flag. It was good to hear from you.
In this Congress, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 4. This resolution would amend the U.S. Constitution to allow Congress to prohibit physical desecration of the U.S. flag. In the 106th Congress, Senator Hatch introduced legislation identical to S.J. Res 4, but it was defeated in the Senate. I voted against the flag desecration amendment.
While I understand the objections of those opposed to flag desecration, I do not believe that amending the Constitution is the appropriate way to address their concerns Amending the Constitution has been reserved only for situations where the system has broken down or needs fundamental changes. As offended as I am by individual acts of flag desecration, I do not believe a few incidents each year warrant amending our nation's Constitution.
Furthermore, in our 200 plus years, we have never altered the First Amendment. Rest assured, I will certainly keep your views in mind should or similar legislation be considered during the 108th Congress.
Once again, thank you for contacting me. Please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Patty Murray
United States Senator
Dear Senator Murray,
While I understand that you may feel an electoral compulsion to say that you are offended by flag "desecration," I would respectfully suggest that a more enlightened position, and one that I would love to hear you enunciate to the electorate, is that the hoo-haa over flag burning and desecration is just that: hoo-haa. No mature country needs to bother itself with such pettiness. The only reason anyone would burn a flag is because their country has a weird, adolescent attachment to it, as many kinds of blind devotees have to fetish objects. Would you consider standing up and telling people: "Hey, people, take a chill pill"?
I wish you would. And tell that Orren Hatch joker to pull his duplicitous head in, too!
Thanks again.
Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to a constitutional amendment that prohibits desecration of the American flag. It was good to hear from you.
In this Congress, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 4. This resolution would amend the U.S. Constitution to allow Congress to prohibit physical desecration of the U.S. flag. In the 106th Congress, Senator Hatch introduced legislation identical to S.J. Res 4, but it was defeated in the Senate. I voted against the flag desecration amendment.
While I understand the objections of those opposed to flag desecration, I do not believe that amending the Constitution is the appropriate way to address their concerns Amending the Constitution has been reserved only for situations where the system has broken down or needs fundamental changes. As offended as I am by individual acts of flag desecration, I do not believe a few incidents each year warrant amending our nation's Constitution.
Furthermore, in our 200 plus years, we have never altered the First Amendment. Rest assured, I will certainly keep your views in mind should or similar legislation be considered during the 108th Congress.
Once again, thank you for contacting me. Please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Patty Murray
United States Senator
Dear Senator Murray,
While I understand that you may feel an electoral compulsion to say that you are offended by flag "desecration," I would respectfully suggest that a more enlightened position, and one that I would love to hear you enunciate to the electorate, is that the hoo-haa over flag burning and desecration is just that: hoo-haa. No mature country needs to bother itself with such pettiness. The only reason anyone would burn a flag is because their country has a weird, adolescent attachment to it, as many kinds of blind devotees have to fetish objects. Would you consider standing up and telling people: "Hey, people, take a chill pill"?
I wish you would. And tell that Orren Hatch joker to pull his duplicitous head in, too!
Thanks again.
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