[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 76 (Wednesday, June 14, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S5867]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FLAG PROTECTION AMENDMENT

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today, Flag Day, in support of S.J. 
Res. 12, which seeks to establish a constitutional amendment to ban the 
desecration of our flag.
  From the time of our Revolutionary War to this very moment, Old Glory 
has been the undying symbol of our Nation. While it is a symbol that 
has many different meanings to many different people, it is the one 
symbol that represents the hopes and dreams of millions of people who 
have fled tyranny in another land and fought to preserve freedom here 
at home. More than anything else, it represents the selfless sacrifices 
of previous generations who have willingly laid down their lives so 
that we can live in the most prosperous and free nation in the history 
of the world.
  As a Marine, I served under our flag as I proudly do now as the 
Senator from the great State of Montana. Thus, I know a thing or two 
about what our flag stands for--as does most every veteran who served 
and sacrificed under our flag, or who has fired and been fired upon in 
combat defending what our flag stands for. Countless millions of 
American soldiers have done and continue to do the same. As we speak, 
there are over 14,000 Montanans in the service of their country, 1,365 
of whom are now serving overseas.
  It is simply an insult to these brave Americans that the sacrifices 
they have made in the name of liberty under the American flag are spit 
on by people who would burn, trample, or otherwise willfully desecrate 
our flag. While we rightly honor the brave men and women who have 
sacrificed their lives, we do not yet honor the symbol for which those 
sacrifices were made by protecting our flag. That is why we need a 
constitutional amendment.
  Some argue that that it is a form of speech. However, it is sad that 
someone cannot defend their arguments or clearly state their national 
hatred without setting a fire? Frankly, if the totality of your 
argument can be summed with gasoline and matches, then you just do not 
have much of an argument to begin with.
  Even more striking is that these people, devoid of new ideas, resort 
to tactics used by our enemies abroad. Look at the video of those who 
would destroy us--protests in Iran, for example. Our enemies burn our 
flag while calling for our deaths because they know it is our symbol 
They want to destroy us and have no respect for our freedoms and way of 
life. Sadly, there are some in this country that, while they may or may 
not share that goal, do share that tactic.
  We owe it to the generations who came before us and to the brave men 
and women who protect us now to protect the symbol which meant so much 
to them. Far too many have sacrificed too much serving under our flag 
for me to sit on the sidelines and do nothing. That is why I see it as 
my duty to voice my support on behalf of all Montanans for a 
constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration.

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