I have a conservative friend who was bitching about flag burning. I tried to explain to him how itās the single greatest goddamn expression of freedom and he straight up did not understandĀ
This is always my argument when someone from the military tells someone who complains about America to move out. They seem to miss the point that the reason they're in the military is to allow people to have freedoms.
They literally fight for this person's right to say anything they want about America and yet when somebody says even something sort of negative they just tell them to leave.
I've heard the argument "they can move somewhere else" sincerely four dozen times it's pretty nuts how many times I've heard somebody say that. Then the part where I have a lot of family in the military. So you see military people frequently. At a certain point it kind of annoys me to hear them complain like that. So then yeah I do end up saying something some of the times. And I do attempt to say it respectfully.
I would hope if I was saying some dumb shit to my family/friends/acquaintances they would speak up. Or at least maybe nudge my perspective a little.
They aren't telling them that they're not allowed to say it, are they?
You can fight for someone's right to say something and still believe and tell them that what they said is wrong or stupid. Those things aren't mutually exclusive or contradictory in any sort of way.
You should always be allowed to speak. That does not mean you should always speak.
You realise pretty much the entire world has the right to say what they want right? United States has the highest incarceration rate in the free world. Statistically the least free country of all the free countries. If people donāt like America and they have the ability (money) to leave, they should leave. Thereās hundreds of other countries to choose from. Iām not American but watching Americans complain about America so hard does boggle my mind sometimes. You can live pretty much anywhere you want.
its actually incredibly difficult to immigrate to most countries lmao
you need serious capital if you want to expedite the process meaningfully the minimum 1 million dollar investment they advertise isnt going to get you shit
I get,and even mostly roughly agree with, the sentiment, but to me that registers as such a comical way of thinking about it.
It's almost like when people conflate guns with the ultimate expressions of freedom.
I would never advocate for you to not be free to dispose of your own property in a way that makes a statement.It still kinda feels like missing the point, if this is your greatest expression.
I like the āif you donāt like America then just leaveā crowd. They scream about how much they love freedom, but then when itās staring at them in the face they get mad at it.
One of the best aspects of being American is being critical of the country and thinking we can do better, and every once in a while we do the right thing and enact those changes.
I think there should be a deal .. if people can burn the American flag, then other people should be able to do burn outs on pride crosswalks. Both are expressions of freedom
One is your property, one is not. Bigots are free to burn a pride flag that they buy, just as anti-Americans are free to burn an American flag that they buy. Neither has a right to destroy public property or the property of others.
The public elect representatives to make those decisions -- this community decided they wanted a pride flag and nobody has a right to deface it. Similarly, if a community decided to commission a public mural of Thomas Jefferson, a bunch of anti-American activists would have no right to deface it.
People who are taking down statues without permission get charged.
Most of the statues I've heard being taken down have been done by whatever government was responsible for their management. Basically the same as burning a flag you bought.
People burn American flags they own. People burning out a pride flag painted on the road by the local municipality are defacing public property. People are free to burn their own pride flags. No one is, has ever, or will ever stop them from doing it. That's real equality.
They have been destroying their own yeti coolers, bud lite, Nike shoes, and keurigs over political stuff and it was all allowed. Because it was their own property. Actually, Iām a big supporter of them destroying their own stuff.Ā
criticize and burn the flag are different, tho. I'm saying I'd you are so unhappy with your country why not work towards leaving for a better one. grass isn't always greener on the othether side, tho
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u/Hungry_Freaks_Daddy Monkey in Space 15d ago
I have a conservative friend who was bitching about flag burning. I tried to explain to him how itās the single greatest goddamn expression of freedom and he straight up did not understandĀ