Forget the flag - burn a politician!

So, once again the clowns in Washington have nothing better to do than try to amend the Constitution to prohibit desecration of the flag.

If they don't have anything more important to so, can't we just send 'em home and stop paying their salaries?  Or should we regard this as a welcome distraction from the worse mischief that they would otherwise get up to?

I don't really get the whole flag-worship thing anyway; it's always struck me as idolatrous, but then I've never had any formal instruction in this religion stuff, so maybe there's some special dispensation for worshiping colored bits of cloth, as opposed to golden calves and such.

Anyway, some folks whose patriotism can't reasonably be questioned have come out in opposition to the nonsense.  On the other hand, looking at the vote, I see Feinstein voted in favor.  This should be a good whack upside the head to anyone who still believes that she's in any meaningful sense a liberal; it's been obvious to me, as long as I've been paying attention, that she's a completely illiberal authoritarian who happens to take the party line on selected "liberal issues."

Now, just for the sake of argument... suppose the Constitution did allow laws forbidding flag desecration.  This inevitably leads to trouble: how, after all, do you define desecration, or for that matter flag?

Does the category flag include all representations thereof?  Including postage stamps with pictures of flags?  Is licking the back of a flag-themed stamp desecration?  What about cancelling such a  stamp?  Must a used, flag-themed postage stamp be disposed of in accordance with the rules for worn-out flags?

If burning (other than for respectful disposal) is desecration, what about Fourth of July fireworks with red-white-and-blue, starry-and-stripey wrappers?  Those wrappers are sure to get a mite singed at best.

For that matter... what about display fireworks that, when lit, create a blazing image of the flag, in red, white, and blue fire?

Clearly, flag desecration, like Witchcraft and Magic, is a matter of symbolism and intent.  This puts it firmly in the realm of religion, and the flag-protecting crowd are, in effect, attempting to establish a state mini-religion centered around the flag.  Is this really a can of worms we want to open?

Update: CDR Salamander also notes the idolatrous aspect.

Oh, and there's more over at Castle Argghhh!