Monday, October 13, 2014

Throughout the history of the Constitution, 27 changes have been made through the Amendment process. Amendments are not easy to pass, and several amendments have been proposed over time, but which failed to pass the second hurdle - acceptance by the states. The last amendment of US constitution was ratified in 1992. It took over 202 years to be ratified.
One of proposed constitution amendment to the United States Constitution is Flag Desecration Amendment. This would allow United States Congress to prohibit statutorily the physical desecration of the flag of United States. Proponents of legislation to prescribe flag burning argue that burning the flag is a very offensive gesture that deserves to be outlawed.
The full text of proposed amendment would be:

“The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States”

The phrase "physical desecration" might be open to various interpretations concerning the uncertainty of the context of desecration. For example, uncertainty exists over whether the term includes wearing of the flag as clothing or as a tattoo. It is uncertain what can be interpreted as "physical desecration". Does it require that the flag be physically damaged, or made to appear damaged? I don’t think that wearing of the flag as clothing or as a tattoo would be physical desecration of flag. The physical desecration of flag is burning or defacing it in front of public. I think that this is serious crime and it should be charged.
I would also like to include one more change in this amendment. Not only the desecration of US flag shall be prohibit but also desecration of all countries’ flags. For every nation flag is a symbol and I think that to desecrate the flag means to desecrate nation. And if US wants other nations to respect their national symbols they must do the same.