Extra credit for flag burning ?

[mr.c]

Professor offers students extra credit for burning U.S. flag or Constitution. I wonder if you would get an 'A' for the semester if you spit on soldiers returning from Iraq or protest at a fallen soldiers funeral. Maybe places of higher education should be reading the Constitution instead of burning it? What do I know Im just a blue collar hick.

http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.as...138&zoneid=500

[Papichulo]

Originally Posted by mr.c

Professor offers students extra credit for burning U.S. flag or Constitution. I wonder if you would get an 'A' for the semester if you spit on soldiers returning from Iraq or protest at a fallen soldiers funeral. Maybe places of higher education should be reading the Constitution instead of burning it? What do I know Im just a blue collar hick.

http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.as...138&zoneid=500

I wonder what they would say if I take my American war-fighting ass over there and beat them down in front of their students for extra credit and my personal gratification to urinate on their pathetic faces. Thanks for sharing. It just shows that we have scumbags among us.

[SeanGAR]

Thats just idiotic; I hate stupid crap like that. IMHO, profs like that should be fired.

But I also hate when the constitution is ignored and American citizens lose the right to a fair trial and can be incarcerated without charges indefinitely.

[icehog3]

Any chance this professor really just wanted to spark a passionate discussion, and really had no intent to instigate anyone to desecrate the flag?

Trust me, if I saw someone burning the flag, I would act as a private citizen and stop them, regardless of their right to "freedom of speech". But I am not sure this professor had that intent based on the article.

[Papichulo]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Any chance this professor really just wanted to spark a passionate discussion, and really had no intent to instigate anyone to desecrate the flag?

Trust me, if I saw someone burning the flag, I would act as a private citizen and stop them, regardless of their right to "freedom of speech". But I am not sure this professor had that intent based on the article.

Maybe so and maybe I just have a short temper when it comes to the flag and our military men and women. I am all about free speach, but the flag is where I draw the line.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Papichulo

Maybe so and maybe I just have a short temper when it comes to the flag and our military men and women. I am all about free speach, but the flag is where I draw the line.

I agree Brent, I wouldn't tolerate the act in my presence either. I just wasn't sure that this professor actually was trying to instigate the act, or just spark a debate.

[RGD]

I'm thinking that the complete article needs to be read. Always two sides - to quote:

"In an e-mail responding to a request for comment from the Bangor Daily News on Friday, Grosswiler said he thought McDade misunderstood the class discussion, which was intended to elicit thought about the First Amendment. He said he has held this same discussion for years without incident.

"I don’t intend for students to burn either the Constitution or the flag, and over the years hundreds of students have understood that," Grosswiler wrote."

And -

"At first, student Kathleen Dame said she thought Grosswiler was joking, but then he went on to explain to the class that burning the flag was not illegal. While Grosswiler approached the topic in a serious manner, Dame said she felt he used it as a tool to educate the class on the First Amendment.

"It was pretty outlandish and [he was] trying to prove a point," Dame said Friday.

While McDade said she would not be surprised if students followed through with the flag burning, Dame disagreed."


Ron

[Papichulo]

Originally Posted by RGD

I'm thinking that the complete article needs to be read. Always two sides - to quote:

"In an e-mail responding to a request for comment from the Bangor Daily News on Friday, Grosswiler said he thought McDade misunderstood the class discussion, which was intended to elicit thought about the First Amendment. He said he has held this same discussion for years without incident.

"I don’t intend for students to burn either the Constitution or the flag, and over the years hundreds of students have understood that," Grosswiler wrote."

And -

"At first, student Kathleen Dame said she thought Grosswiler was joking, but then he went on to explain to the class that burning the flag was not illegal. While Grosswiler approached the topic in a serious manner, Dame said she felt he used it as a tool to educate the class on the First Amendment.

"It was pretty outlandish and [he was] trying to prove a point," Dame said Friday.

While McDade said she would not be surprised if students followed through with the flag burning, Dame disagreed."


Ron

I will put some more time into the read.

[mr.c]

I read it a few times before i posted it. It just seems to me that when people get called out on things that they back peddle. "oh I didnt really mean you should burn the flag I just ment that umm.." whatever

second of all, how stupid is it that you should teach burning the Constitution, the one thing that protects your free speech? If you discard that, then what protects your freedom?

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by mr.c

I read it a few times before i posted it. It just seems to me that when people get called out on things that they back peddle. "oh I didnt really mean you should burn the flag I just ment that umm.." whatever

second of all, how stupid is it that you should teach burning the Constitution, the one thing that protects your free speech? If you discard that, then what protects your freedom?

We always have torture and secret places to stash people to fall back on...


IMO, the strength of our country and what holds it together is the belief that we would never give up on what makes it strong, our rights. Those rights are double edged though. Sometimes it allows people who have them to do things others may not approve of even though they are within the law. Like it or not. To sacrifice that, is discarding the Constitution. Since I am not that professor, I cannot read his mind, but I believe that was his point.

[tzaddi]

A similar action would be to "peacefully" deface and burn copies of the professors credentials, like the ones that are framed and hanging on the walls of his office. This would also serve to incite debate.

Freedom [SIZE="1"]of speech [/SIZE]comes with great responsibilities.

In the beginning was the word and the word was with...

[Ratters]

I believe everyone has the freedom to burn the flag.

I also believe that they also have the freedom to get their ass kicked for doing so.

[smokinpoke]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Any chance this professor really just wanted to spark a passionate discussion, and really had no intent to instigate anyone to desecrate the flag?

Trust me, if I saw someone burning the flag, I would act as a private citizen and stop them, regardless of their right to "freedom of speech". But I am not sure this professor had that intent based on the article.

After reading the article I was wondering this myself. Sometimes professors will play the devils advocate to try and spark either discussion or ideas.

but.. if i saw someone burning our country's flag i would enact my right to whip their asss

[RGD]

Originally Posted by mr.c

I read it a few times before i posted it. It just seems to me that when people get called out on things that they back peddle. "oh I didnt really mean you should burn the flag I just ment that umm.." whatever

I guess it's who one chooses to believe. The article quotes two girls from the class. One on whom the article is based. The second girl contradicts the first girl. So who do you believe. One would have to venture a guess that yes, the professor has had hundreds of students exposed to the same teaching method - but we are just now hearing of it? Because of one person we are to take this all as gospel? What makes her view the right view?

second of all, how stupid is it that you should teach burning the Constitution, the one thing that protects your free speech? If you discard that, then what protects your freedom?

I think that the point is not that you must or should burn either item - it's that in America we have the right to do so. There is no law that says you can't nor is there one that says you should. But how many people believe that there is a law? My guess would be that if you asked 10 people on the street - at least 8 of them would say there was. Hence the need to teach - which I also believe the professor was trying to do.



Ron

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by tzaddi

A similar action would be to "peacefully" deface and burn copies of the professors credentials, like the ones that are framed and hanging on the walls of his office. This would also serve to incite debate.

I like it!