Flag Burning Part II

Just when I thought I had found the most absurd quote about flag burning... In my last post I recounted former U.S. Rep. Douglas Applegate (D-crazyville) who said in 1989 that the Supreme Court's ruling striking down a Texas law banning flag burning was "the greatest travesty in the annals of jurisprudence." Not one of the greatest travesties, but THE greatest travesty. Well, I was wrong that it was the most insane quote on the topic. Yesterday, as the House got down to really important business by passing a Constitutional Amendment banning flag desecration, U.S. Representative Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-CA) actually said, "Ask the men and women who stood on top of the Trade Center. Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment." Wow. It's going to be hard to top that. Forget about his house deal troubles or the fact that the FBI has issued subpoenas in an unrelated matter involving the Duke. If crazy were a crime this guy would get life just for his flag amendment statement. And remember, this wasn't some off the cuff comment. This was actually prepared in advance to be read on the House floor. A goverment as good as its people? Are the people of the 50th district including San Diego, La Jolla, Del Mar and Carmel Valley that nuts?

Also, late Wednesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., revealed that she would vote against the measure. "I don't believe a constitutional amendment is the answer," Clinton, a possible presidential candidate in 2008, said in a statement. The Curmudgeon was wrong in his prediction about Hillary. And that makes me even more cranky.