Burn Baby Burn

The Senate voted yesterday 66-34 in favor of a constitutional amendment banning flag burning. Thankfully, they need 67 votes to pass an amendment. Yes, that’s right, I support flag burning. And not just the right to burn flags, but actually burning flags. I guess that means I hate America.

I heard Pelosi’s argument the other day comparing burning a flag to defacing the Jefferson Memorial. If the latter can be made illegal, the former should too. Pelosi, you are an idiot. Defacing the Jefferson Memorial is illegal because it is federal property. It is also illegal to set fire to the flag that is flown at the State Capitol. But a flag that you own is yours to do what you want with. If you owned the Jefferson Memorial you would be free to deface it however you liked.

Opponents to banning flag burning always say the same thing. “I love the flag and oppose burning it, but I love the freedoms it represents more.” I think Kerry actually said he loved the Constitution more. Memo to Mr. Kerry, try reading the Constitution some time. Freedom of Speech isn’t in there. That’s why it was put in the First Amendment. Anyway, there’s a better argument for flag burning than simply the same old “I like freedom” b.s. everyone uses.

The purpose of banning flag burning is to stop the disrespect of our nation and our values. But disrespect is only conveyed through the meaning of an act, and not the act itself. If a flag gets soiled or damaged, burning it actually shows respect. Most people want to ban flag burning when done in protest. So is it the actual act or is it the intent of the person burning the flag that offends people? You can criminalize an act, but you really should not start policing intentions and opinions.

If you really want protestors to stop burning flags, the best way is to make flag burning patriotic. So if you really love this country, and its values, go out and burn a flag. A flag represents the ideals our country is based on. But the flag itself is just a physical object. Burning the flag does not damage those ideals. As you watch the flag reduce to ashes, use it as a reminder that our country too has the potential to be destroyed. We take our freedoms for granted, but they must be constantly defended or they will be lost. Or burn it to rember the fallen soldiers. Or those who died on 9/11/01. I don't care. Patriotism should not just be flag-waving and boastful pride. There should be room in patriotism for humility, for thankfulness, for flag-burning. So burn your flag proudly and with great respect, and let the flames rekindle your defense of all the freedoms and values it symbolizes. Yes, burn that mother down.

Attack of the Clones

I found a comment on this blog posted yesterday which was written by someone claiming to be Stephen Dorshorst. I sat there for a minute, like Homer Simpson after finding the Mr. Sparkle box in the dump. I know I didn’t write it. But there was my name on the bottom. Stephen Dorshorst. Apparently I have another me living in Tulsa.

In High School, I was voted Most Likely to be Cloned. When I found out, I wanted to know how everyone found out my plan. The plan being to clone an army of myselves. But I suppose anyone creating a clone army would naturally choose me as a seed. Clearly my classmates could see that.

So I am .2% on my way towards my goal. 1000 Stephen Dorshorst, all ready to do my bidding. Because I would be them too. So their bidding would be the same as mine. Sort of a collective mind. Oh, what I could do with 1000 of me. And this first other me is a master of Tae Kwon Do. So we have the scientist and the martial arts expert. All we need are a sniper school instructor, an underwater demolitions expert, a long distance intel specialist, and a few others, and Alpha Team is ready to rock!

HPTIII

It’s Tuesday, so it’s Hodgepodge Tuesday!

I realize I never posted here that Carolina would win the Stanley Cup, but I did say they would, back on June 1^st, before they were even in the finals. Of course, now that it’s officially Hurricane season, it should have been obvious to everyone. Yes, Carolina is not a Hockey state. But would you rather let Canada win it?

I just finished my first lecture of Improving the Electoral Process. Three things were clear.
1. Our system is pretty well screwed up.
2. It’s amazing that we don’t have armed uprisings after every election. The reason we don’t is because
3. The American people are mostly stupid and/or they just don’t care.
Also, the professor made it clear that he hates a three-party system, and he hates the term Neutral. Suck it, Professor Kenneth R. Mayer. I hope your plane back from Australia crashes.

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have used stem cells to actually regenerate neurons in spinal cords in rats. So everyone who has said that stem cells won’t actually help that much, just shut up. I don’t think we should be killing embryos. But an embryo that is dead does not need its stem cells anymore. Just as I don’t mind if someone uses my heart or liver after (if) I die, I don’t think an embryo should mind once it is dead if someone uses its stem cells to help someone with a spinal cord injury or with Lou Gehrig’s.

Dwade, I like you, I want you to keep playing well, but your team wasn’t supposed to win. I already congratulated the Mavericks, and I can’t take that back. Dwade, you’re on notice. And take off those thigh pads and play like a man.

And to everyone who goes on MySpace to make friends, you are a loser. To everyone who arranges to meet someone they met on MySpace, you are an idiot.

Like School in Summertime

Oh, back to school, back to school, to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool. I’ve got my lunch packed up, by boots tied tight. I hope I don’t get in a fight.

That’s right, I am no longer a college dropout. I’m going back. Rodney Dangerfield aint got shit on me. Granted, one of the courses I am taking this summer is Bowling. I couldn’t justify moving into a house with it’s own bowling lanes unless I start bowling over 200. I’m also taking a course called Improving the Electorate. Since I’m already working on that, I figured I might as well get credit for it.

I can’t say I’m looking forward to sitting through Math lectures again. But I’ve been without class for long enough.