Graeme Zielinski, Flag Burner

Graeme Zielinski: "Why I Burned the Flag"
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Graeme Zielinski is the official spokesman for the Democrat Party of Wisconsin.

He's the party's voice and face. And he's an American flag burner.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Why would someone who loves America burn an American flag? Ask Graeme Zielinski, who was a senior at the University of Wisconsin in 1995. That year, he burned a flag on the campus square in Madison.

"The burning was witnessed by a few bystanders who braved the (winter) chill," Zielinski wrote in a Tribune article last year. "I had no overarching philosophy or ennobling ideas I went to the square with some lighter fluid and a flag seeking only to protest the effort to make my protest illegal."

Zielinski was upset about efforts by lawmakers to pass laws against flag burning. And four years after he staged his one-man protest, the debate over the flag burning issue is still smoldering.

At some point this year, Congress is expected to debate whether to add an amendment to the Constitution that would make it illegal to burn or destroy the American flag in protest.

But does America need this amendment? Depending on whom you ask, it's either a way to show patriotism and respect for our national symbol - or unpatriotic because it restrains free speech.

"We're not driven by a desire to penalize anyone, but to return the flag to its proper place of honor," Marty Justis said. As executive director of the Citizens Flag Alliance, Justis represents 136 groups supporting a flag-protection amendment.

Those groups include veterans' organizations such as the American Legion. "For veterans, the flag means something very, very special," Justis said. "It's the symbol under which they rallied, and holds no greater meaning than when placed on the coffin of a deceased veteran. We see the flag as a symbol of sacrifice, love, all that we stand for."

But opponents argue that freedom of speech is guaranteed under the First Amendment. Many people who burn or destroy flags are protesting government policies - and the government has very limited power to decide how people speak out against it, opponents say.

"I don't like flag burning," Zielinski said. "But just because something is repulsive to me doesn't mean it should be outlawed. One of the ways people express themselves when they're unhappy with our government is to destroy its most potent symbol, which is the flag."

Zielinski added: "Most totalitarian states such as Iraq make it illegal to destroy (national) symbols. But we're better than that."

I don't believe you would burn the American flag if you love America.

There are ways to express one's dissatisfaction with the government without desecrating a national symbol as important as the flag.

"For veterans, the flag means something very, very special," [executive director of the Citizens Flag Alliance Marty] Justis said. "It's the symbol under which they rallied, and holds no greater meaning than when placed on the coffin of a deceased veteran. We see the flag as a symbol of sacrifice, love, all that we stand for."

I vehemently object to Obama's assault on my freedom. His administration's attack on religious liberty is something I'd expect in a totalitarian state, not America. Obama's war on the First Amendment is something I will fight.

However, I would NEVER burn the American flag to express my objection to the oppression orchestrated by Obama and the Democrats. NEVER.

I wouldn't destroy the symbol of my beloved country to protest what Obama has done.

I would never show such disrespect for the military men and women who sacrificed so much for my freedom.

Graeme Zielinski, DEMOCRAT spokesman, thought burning our flag was an appropriate thing to do.

That's disturbing. He's the official spokesman of the Democrat party of Wisconsin.

Is Zielinski proud of what he did?

Are Wisconsin Democrats proud of Zielinski?

Are they comfortable with having an American flag burner as their spokesman?

Next time you see Zielinski on TV or read something he's said, speaking on behalf of the Democrat party of Wisconsin, picture him on campus in Madison. Picture Democrat Zielinski with lighter fluid and proudly setting the American flag on fire as a protest.

Remember what he did and what position he holds now, official spokesman for the Democrat party of Wisconsin.

In your face, veterans and families of veterans!

In your face, war dead and families of our war dead!

Graeme Zielinski, Democrat, burned the American flag, and he's damn proud of it.

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UPDATE, October 14, 2012:

Check this out, from Wigderson Library & Pub.

Flags fly forever.

— Graeme Zielinski (@gjzielinski) October 14, 2012

Really?

Zielinski talking about flags flying forever?

That's awkward.