I urge you to oppose S.J.Res. 12, a  constitutional amendment that would give
Congress the power to ban desecration of the United States flag.

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.