Burning the Canadian Flag?

Its not really a hot topic anymore. Some of the rednecks are trying to make it one again, but the general concencus is that it's a legitimate form of protest.

A legitimate form of protest.........in either case.

A legitimate form of protest??

We don't like what a particular country is doing so we burn that country's flag?? Sounds a bit childish to me, but go for it.

A legitimate form of protest??

We don't like what a particular country is doing so we burn that country's flag?? Sounds a bit childish to me, but go for it.

I think, though I may be wrong, that it's illegal in the United States to show certain kinds of disrespect for the American flag, and possibly certain other national symbols, which would certainly include a public burning, but there are no similar rules in Canada about the Canadian flag. In either case, I'd agree it's a legitimate form of symbolic protest, though not something I'd ever engage in personally.

The 'maple leaf' is an ironic symbol. The maple tree doesn't even grow in 80% of Canada. No surprise it's native to southern Ontario/Quebec but not Alberta. I wonder if folks in Ontario would like a lodgepole pine on the flag instead of a maple? They'd think it ridiculous.

O, land of blue unending skies,
Mountains strong and sparkling snow,
A scent of freedom in the wind,
O'er the emerald fields below.

To thee we brought our hopes, our dreams,
For thee we stand together,
Our land of peace, where proudly flies,
The Maple Leaf forever.

Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

oh maple leaf around the word
you speak as you rise high above
of courage peace and quiet strength
of the canada that I love

Remind us all our union bound,
By ties we cannot sever,
Bright flag revered on every ground,
The Maple Leaf forever!

Long may it wave, and grace our own,
Blue skies and stormy weather,
Within my heart, above my home,
The Maple Leaf forever!

I've grown up always being told to respect a Nations flag, as it is a symbol of everything that Nation stands for. I myself, don't agree with burning of any flags, especially your own. Why would you burn your own National image? Are you that apathetic as to pride in your Nation? I sometimes feel I was born too late. I put a lot of stock in Nationalism and Patriotism, something that my generation seems completely devoid of. I joined the Army because I feel, in that organization, I can contribute to this Nation in a way few others can. I can stand up for what this Nation believes in, and ensure no harm comes to it, or what represents it, up to and including the Maple Leaf. I'm 23, still young by any stretch of the imagination, however I honestly think I sometimes put more faith in this Nation and our way of life than others twice my age. It honestly bothers me that somewhere over the last 50 years, our National identity has slowly began to decay. We once were a Nation of proud individuals, proud of our way of life, proud of what we stood for. These days people seem far too self-absorbed and utterly clueless as to what it means to be a Canadian. If you want to burn a flag, go ahead, but in doing so you dishonour that Nations heritage. If you burn your own flag, you dishonour not only your heritage, but everything your Nation stands for. My 19 cents on the issue.

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Destroying something especially a flag of a country is sad. It does go for a symbolic protest but I don't think any flag deserves to be burned.

Quote: Originally Posted by Jersay

Destroying something especially a flag of a country is sad. It does go for a symbolic protest but I don't think any flag deserves to be burned.

Baloney, all flags should be burnt to a crisp here and there just to shock those that place a symbol above the ideology and values behind the symbol. Nobody has died for a flag, they have died for what it represents. Flags change with time.

Well if you burn the flaf your attacking the symbol aren't you??

Everyone can burn the flag. Doesn't bother me. I'm not a nationalist. I also, don't mind, however is some 85-year-old war vet takes out a baseball bat and bashes the flag burner's head in.

I wouldn't burn our flag ot of respect for those vets who might care about the issue....not out of respect for a symbol.

The 'maple leaf' is an ironic symbol. The maple tree doesn't even grow in 80% of Canada. No surprise it's native to southern Ontario/Quebec but not Alberta. I wonder if folks in Ontario would like a lodgepole pine on the flag instead of a maple? They'd think it ridiculous.

Nobody has died for a flag, they have died for what it represents. Flags change with time.

Quote: Originally Posted by athabaska

Everyone can burn the flag. Doesn't bother me. I'm not a nationalist. I also, don't mind, however is some 85-year-old war vet takes out a baseball bat and bashes the flag burner's head in.

I wouldn't burn our flag ot of respect for those vets who might care about the issue....not out of respect for a symbol.

The 'maple leaf' is an ironic symbol. The maple tree doesn't even grow in 80% of Canada. No surprise it's native to southern Ontario/Quebec but not Alberta. I wonder if folks in Ontario would like a lodgepole pine on the flag instead of a maple? They'd think it ridiculous.

Ah, but there's the flaw in your logic. Canada didn't have a flag during the great wars. Canadian soldiers fought for the queen.

I've spoken to several retired Canadian military men who feel virtually no loyalty to this country. After years of being neglected by their government though, who could blame them?

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Nobody has died for a flag, they have died for what it represents. Flags change with time.

Exactly my point. If you burn the Flag, regardless of if it was the old Red Ensign of Canada, or the Maple Leaf today, or some fancy new one after i'm long dead and burried, it doesn't change the fact you're disrespecting everything about that Nation.

There is a difference in nationalism and patritotism, sometimes it even becomes difficult to see any difference at all. It all depends where ones loyalty is. Both can be loyal to ones country, but the object of their affection differs.
Nationalism is loyal to a countrys institutions and its trappings while patriotism defines ones loyalty to a countrys principles and ideals. When times are good, you cannot distinguish the two, but when times become fiery, you see both carefully go in opposite directions.
I cannot speak for Canadians (obviously), but if I were to try and give an example of nationalism and patriotism I would can do so by the new vote that will on the Senate floor after Independance Day. Nationalists oppose flag burning because they love it and what to protect it, patriotism on the other hand supports flag burning because the flag represents American ideals and principles.
Fine line don't you think? Perhaps. But nonetheless, under no circumstances does nationalism or patriotism have any love for any government. Governments come and go. As long as your country remains based on the ideals on which they were founded, then you have every reason to love your country.
The current US administration is by no means representative of what the founding fathers had in mind ovewr 200 years ago, but the essence remains and neither Bush nor anyone else can take it away.

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Quote: Originally Posted by MogzI've grown up always being told to respect a Nations flag, as it is a symbol of everything that Nation stands for. I myself, don't agree with burning of any flags, especially your own. Why would you burn your own National image? Are you that apathetic as to pride in your Nation? I sometimes feel I was born too late. I put a lot of stock in Nationalism and Patriotism, something that my generation seems completely devoid of. I joined the Army because I feel, in that organization, I can contribute to this Nation in a way few others can. I can stand up for what this Nation believes in, and ensure no harm comes to it, or what represents it, up to and including the Maple Leaf. I'm 23, still young by any stretch of the imagination, however I honestly think I sometimes put more faith in this Nation and our way of life than others twice my age. It honestly bothers me that somewhere over the last 50 years, our National identity has slowly began to decay. We once were a Nation of proud individuals, proud of our way of life, proud of what we stood for. These days people seem far too self-absorbed and utterly clueless as to what it means to be a Canadian. If you want to burn a flag, go ahead, but in doing so you dishonour that Nations heritage. If you burn your own flag, you dishonour not only your heritage, but everything your Nation stands for....

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I think the whole point of burning the flag, is to demonstrate that the flag is no longer representative of the will of the people. It's a statement that says the government is out of line, and that you reject their use of nationalistic symbols as validation for an act or objective that is not consistent with the people that comprise the nation.

A flag is really nothing more than a logo for a country. And in a time when governments are increasingly putting corporate interests ahead of the interests of the people, I think it is fair for people to reject the national logo of the corporation of the country of _________________. (Insert country name.)

Quote: Originally Posted by SimpletonQuote: Originally Posted by athabaskaEveryone can burn the flag. Doesn't bother me. I'm not a nationalist. I also, don't mind, however is some 85-year-old war vet takes out a baseball bat and bashes the flag burner's head in.
I wouldn't burn our flag ot of respect for those vets who might care about the issue....not out of respect for a symbol.
The 'maple leaf' is an ironic symbol. The maple tree doesn't even grow in 80% of Canada. No surprise it's native to southern Ontario/Quebec but not Alberta. I wonder if folks in Ontario would like a lodgepole pine on the flag instead of a maple? They'd think it ridiculous.Ah, but there's the flaw in your logic. Canada didn't have a flag during the great wars. Canadian soldiers fought for the queen.
I've spoken to several retired Canadian military men who feel virtually no loyalty to this country. After years of being neglected by their government though, who could blame them?Uh, yeah we did have a flag:

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Quote: Originally Posted by MogzQuote: Originally Posted by SimpletonQuote: Originally Posted by athabaskaEveryone can burn the flag. Doesn't bother me. I'm not a nationalist. I also, don't mind, however is some 85-year-old war vet takes out a baseball bat and bashes the flag burner's head in. I wouldn't burn our flag ot of respect for those vets who might care about the issue....not out of respect for a symbol. The 'maple leaf' is an ironic symbol. The maple tree doesn't even grow in 80% of Canada. No surprise it's native to southern Ontario/Quebec but not Alberta. I wonder if folks in Ontario would like a lodgepole pine on the flag instead of a maple? They'd think it ridiculous.Ah, but there's the flaw in your logic. Canada didn't have a flag during the great wars. Canadian soldiers fought for the queen.I've spoken to several retired Canadian military men who feel virtually no loyalty to this country. After years of being neglected by their government though, who could blame them?Uh, yeah we did have a flag:Quote has been trimmedExcuse my ignorance. We didn't have a "Canadian" flag during the great wars. We presently have only a queen. The inferrence was to the monarchy of England.
Not...

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