Alcee Hastings: “That is why I cringe when I see Congress preparing to pass a constitutional amendment that would rewrite the first…”

“That is why I cringe when I see Congress preparing to pass a constitutional amendment that would rewrite the first amendment for the first time ever to ban a form of protest. It is particularly hard for me, as an American war veteran to see this action taken in the name of patriotism. For while we as a country view our flag as the very essence of patriotism, it is, in reality, a symbol of that spirit. And if the proposed flag desecration amendment wins final approval, our flag will become a symbol without substance. Don't get me wrong, no one endorses the idea of burning the flag or desecrating it in any way. It is, to me, a very repugnant concept. But I find more threatening the idea that we would change the Constitution every time some American came up with a new repugnant way to protest.”