A Very Slippery Slope
June 23rd, 2005 by MatthewDemocrats Fear GOP Push on Flag-Burning is one of the top news headlines on the AP wire right now!
The chattering classes have been calling the Democrats “weak� and “scared� since September 11th and yet we continually find ourselves in this position.
The flag-burning issue, which is being debated in Congress today, is one issue where the Democrats can’t afford to curl-up in the fetal position and bow to political pressure. It is in the long-term interest of this party and of this country that all Democrats (and hopefully some Republicans) speak strongly against this proposed amendment.
We are NOT for burning the flag. Personally, I am against burning the flag (there are plenty of other ways to oppose the government’s policies and show dissent) but I would never take-away someone’s ability to do so if they deem it necessary.
The Republicans will not be in power forever (regardless of what some people think) and at the end of this long national nightmare, there will be a lot of reality checks about what we stood for and what we could have done to prevent the harmful policies they’ve pursued.
Today we find our country at the top of a very slippery slope looking down and I fear that if Democrats roll-over and succumb to the Republican’s bullshit on this issue, it’s going to be a long, hard fall down the slope until we hit rock bottom.
Everyone who reads this post should do SOMETHING today to contact their member of Congress (or any member of Congress) and let them know that as Americans; we will not sit and watch as this bunch of rich white men trample on our rights.
I don’t want to burn the flag today. But, I am not willing to cede any of my liberties to these joker politicians and we all must fight back! This slippery slope is steep, unsteady, and could conceivably do irreversible damage to America…
June 23rd, 2005 at 11:53 am
This really could be the party’s chance to stand up and show the US that Democrats still have a backbone. We dropped the ball on Terry Schiavo by staying mum on the insanity. GWB always talks about how he doesn’t read the polls, and generally people seem to respond to his steadfastness. Let’s try it for once.
I think I would actively campaign against Hillary if she goes over to the fascist side on this one.
June 23rd, 2005 at 12:05 pm
I dunno. This one scares me. I totally agree that, while I would not burn the American flag (or any other flag for that matter), it is a matter of free speech that should be protected. But I fear the backlash against any democrat, or democrats in general, who takes a strong stand on this issue. I hope I’m wrong. I hope someone does take that stand and gets rewarded rather than villified for taking it.
June 23rd, 2005 at 12:09 pm
Lisa- It scares me too. The worst thing that happens is that the Republican spin-machine villafies whoever votes against it and we lose. But, we have been losing already. So, I just think Congressional Dems need to step-up, stand-up, and fight for issues they believe in and if they lose- at least they’re losing with dignity.
The worst feeling to have (and one that many dems feel now) is that we’re losing AND we’re not standing for anything in the process.