Date: Tue, 06  May  2003 09:18:08 -0400
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@mit.edu>
Subject: oppose S J Res 7, the flag desecration amendment

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Sen. Kennedy
Sen. Kerry
Rep. Capuano
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


May 6, 2003

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to oppose SJ Res. 7, a constitutional 
amendment to ban desecration of the flag. This legislation would undermine 
the very principles for which the American flag stands.

While flag burning is rare, it can be a powerful and important form of 
free speech.  In fact, the proposed constitutional amendment would do 
irreparable harm to the right to free speech, undermining the very 
principles for which the American flag is meant to stand.  Those who 
favour the proposed amendment say that they do so in honour of the flag.  
But in proposing to unravel the First Amendment, they desecrate what the 
flag represents.

Jailing people for acts of symbolic protest is a hallmark of authoritarian 
regimes.  After mainland China took control of Hong Kong, two protesters 
there were arrested for burning the Chinese flag.  In Cuba, courts 
commonly jail dissidents who `dishonour' the Cuban flag.  It would be a 
shame for the United States to join the likes of these governments.

Do not amend the First Amendment for the first time in history.  Please 
oppose any effort to ban flag desecration.  I look forward to hearing your 
thoughts on this very important issue.

Sincerely,


Matthew Belmonte