Ban The Burn, or Burn the Ban?

As a Libertarian and a Veteran, when it comes to the issue of making flag-burning a crime, or an act which would justify shooting someone, I am a Constitutionalist -- a First Amendment Constitutionalist. You are entitled to your opinion about what it stands for, and entitled to say what you think, in words or other symbols. The Flag is not itself any of the things it represents, nor some kind of sacred relic, but is an icon, a symbol, a word. Flying it, folding it, and flaming it up are all statements using that symbol. To declare it cannot be used to make non-positive statements in opposition to political power is the same kind of thinking as Muslims believing a cartoon showing their idol as being something less than God justifies acts of violence. It is simply bad thought control, the opposite of freedom. Burning someone else's flag (made in China, $15) is a property violation, but that is not what is at issue here. To make it illegal for anyone to burn a flag he has bought as a political statement is to truly tarnish the principle of free expression it stands for.

Here is an article in some depth on this, first published about '97 or so, I think.

Is Flag Burning A Crime?