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Petition urges ban on flag burning

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From ABC August 16, 2006

A federal MP is hoping a new petition will help convince his colleagues to change laws to make burning the Australian flag a punishable offence.
Bruce Scott tabled the petition of more than 3,000 signatures in Parliament yesterday.
Mr Scott says the petition was started after a socialist youth group sold flag burning kits at universities earlier this year.
He says the debate is timely as the country this week commemorates Victory in the Pacific (VP Day) and the Battle of Long Tan.
"We've got to make sure that our flag, the Australian national flag, our greatest national symbol, is protected from people who would see it desecrated or destroyed in anyway," he said.
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Quite emotional stuff, and reluctance of our Government in introducing punishable offence for flag burning is that all of the sudden Australia will have scores of ‘pseudo-political’ offenders, and severely restricted expression of democratic freedom to do anything.
 
Last night I was watching Ch2 which showed some US citizens tearing up the flag of maybe Palestine? as they wanted to rebuild a Temple that was the fundamental symbol of the Jewish people, but a Mosque was in the way and this would to be knocked down.

I felt really uncomfortable watching it, but not sure that making it illegal is the way to go. You kind of just hope that people won't do it, and maybe I am also living in fairyland too.

The same programme also showed a group of US mainly middle aged women on a boat in the middle of the sea of Galilee singing the US national anthem. Hands over hearts etc Weird!
 
I am also not for legislation banning the practice.
I don't like it, but I also don't like rampant nationalism. A ban with a penalty would in my opinion just make it an easy target for those wanting to make a political point and have pictures of themselves being thrown in the paddy wagon splashed on all the front pages.
Far better just to call the fire brigade and let them do the splashing cause it is a dangerous practice.
John
 
If a person burns the Australian Flag, in Australia, they should be deported. If they are an Australian citizen who burns the flag outside of Australia, they should not be allowed back in again.

Either you'r for or against Australia, and if you are against, get out or be booted out.
 
Prospector said:
Last night I was watching Ch2 which showed some US citizens tearing up the flag of maybe Palestine? as they wanted to rebuild a Temple that was the fundamental symbol of the Jewish people, but a Mosque was in the way and this would to be knocked down.

I felt really uncomfortable watching it, but not sure that making it illegal is the way to go. You kind of just hope that people won't do it, and maybe I am also living in fairyland too.

The same programme also showed a group of US mainly middle aged women on a boat in the middle of the sea of Galilee singing the US national anthem. Hands over hearts etc Weird!
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Yes,but Prospector this wasnt just any mosque this is the third holiest site of islam. I mean this issue goes back to the romans the Jews just want it back!!!!!!!!!!!And here we go and these peoples talent for keeping a grudge,both sides. Also the flags were mass produced paper ones,I thought very American,and it looked as thought they were struggling to make up the numbers.
And as for the woman who thinks Jesus sent George dubay,did you notice the tone and the way the story was presented,not likely to influence any right minded person.
 
noirua said:
If a person burns the Australian Flag, in Australia, they should be deported. If they are an Australian citizen who burns the flag outside of Australia, they should not be allowed back in again.

Either you'r for or against Australia, and if you are against, get out or be booted out.
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Noirua,the person who tried to burn down said mosque above was an Australian,he more than burned down a flag,had he succeded all hell would`ve broken loose,the Israelis deported him back to Australia who else was going to take him.
 
visual said:
Noirua,the person who tried to burn down said mosque above was an Australian,he more than burned down a flag,had he succeded all hell would`ve broken loose,the Israelis deported him back to Australia who else was going to take him.
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There is a place where he could have a not very happy "Christmass ..."
 
What a curious petition.
We supposedly fought wars to have freedoms, and enjoy certain rights and privileges.
When Whitlam was sacked by Kerr, and without reference to the Queen, what reason would one have had to honour our flag? Who voted for Kerr?
If we don't want people to burn our flag, we need to give them cause to honour it.
I have only a modicum of respect for our federal government because they have done nothing to protect our weakest members of society, nor taken a stand on human rights issues.
David Hicks' dad probably wonders why so many Australians could be proud of our flag. He might not want to burn it. Yet if he did, I would support his right and understand his convictions.
 
Did you see the Interview with Major Mori on Monday night? I had heard him on the radio earlier and he was brilliant, but didnt think he came over as well on TV.

Maybe his most interesting point is that the US would never let another country do to one of their citizens (whatever his/her crime) what they have been allowed to do to one of our citizens.

Whatever Hicks crime is (and no-one even seems to know that either!) how can a civilised Government allow what has happened to him without a trial? Bring him home, make him endure the most elaborate trial in history but at least produce the evidence and let the judicial system decide his fate. Isnt that what is supposed to happen :banghead:
 
rederob said:
What a curious petition.
We supposedly fought wars to have freedoms, and enjoy certain rights and privileges.
When Whitlam was sacked by Kerr, and without reference to the Queen, what reason would one have had to honour our flag? Who voted for Kerr?
If we don't want people to burn our flag, we need to give them cause to honour it.
I have only a modicum of respect for our federal government because they have done nothing to protect our weakest members of society, nor taken a stand on human rights issues.
David Hicks' dad probably wonders why so many Australians could be proud of our flag. He might not want to burn it. Yet if he did, I would support his right and understand his convictions.
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Totally agree Red et al

It's just a piece of rag with pretty colours. While I agree we should give cause to respect what it "signifies", if what it signifies becomes distasteful, as it has become, then people should have the freedom of speech to symbolically protest by burning a piece of cloth.

It's not something I personally would do as many do feel an alliegance to said rag with pretty colours, but it is not a criminal act.
 
The words are something like "I may not agree with what you are saying, but I will forever defend your right to say it".

I don't like to see people burning the Australian flag but previous generations have fought wars to defend our right to freedom of speech. So if I see a flag on fire, I'll call the fire brigade and get them to come armed with hoses and water rather than calling the police and asking them to bring paddy waggons and lawyers with them. :2twocents
 
Smurf1976 said:
The words are something like "I may not agree with what you are saying, but I will forever defend your right to say it".

I don't like to see people burning the Australian flag but previous generations have fought wars to defend our right to freedom of speech. So if I see a flag on fire, I'll call the fire brigade and get them to come armed with hoses and water rather than calling the police and asking them to bring paddy waggons and lawyers with them. :2twocents
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Yes well done,

Thats how i wished I'd have put it.
 
Here Here Mrs P.
This is for afters
 

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From ABC August 23, 2006

RSL welcomes flag burner's sentence

The New South Wales RSL has welcomed a decision by a magistrate to send a youth who burnt an Australian flag to meet with its members.
A 17-year-old has pleaded guilty to removing the flag from Brighton-Le-Sands and setting it on fire after the Cronulla riots last year.
In Bidura Children's Court yesterday he was ordered to undergo a youth justice conference with RSL members.
State RSL president Don Rowe says any apology from the youth will be accepted and the boy will learn an important lesson.
"I think he'd probably be fairly worried about talking to the diggers but they'll probably will tell him the facts of life and what the Australian flag means and the sacrifices made to defend our flag," he said.
"I am sure that he will get a lot out of it and be aware of what it means and will not do it again."
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They might be surprised pleasantly or unpleasantly.

But since anybody can say anything, young person can say one thing and think another.

After all even if he is going to tell diggers what they want to hear, he is not going to be hooked up to lie detector to give more weight to credibility of words or dismiss them.
 
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