Their right to burn...
There is no actual right to burn; there is only a privilege to burn.
I think the word 'rights' is one of the most misused words in the English language.
Many people get the term 'rights' confused with 'privileges,' or 'common practices,'
or 'traditional practices.'
People think we all live in a "free country." This is not exactly true. There are rights
and privileges explicitly spelled out in the US Constitution, and at times, implicitly
interpreted by the courts (and only courts can do this - not indiviuals) That is, a lone
citizen may not, on his own, conjure up his own "rights."
Those who do such things, and then act upon them, often run afoul of the law. These
are the folks I am always ragging on; the ones who have a propensity to do as they
please (we all know some of that type don't we?)
As a child, how many times have I heard the proclamation "I can do whatever I want,
because it's a free country!" uttered by other selfish kids, out on the school playground.
Problem is, some of these kids never really grow up, and carry this position into, and
throughout, their adult life. Do any of these grown-up children live next door?
The question is, should we teach our children that we live in a "free country," or should
we just let them figure that out for themselves, as they come of voting age?
Freedom without responsibility, is not freedom at all. It is anarchy. Is this what our
once-great country is coming to?