The gold fringe around the flag, I have heard, is to signify the flag for the District of Columbia. The "federal flag", if you will, and is supposed to be a symbol that circumscribes the power of the feds. The American flags which all others may fly does not have the gold fringe and represents the unfettered rights of the states....as though the gold fringe is meant to somehow limit the power of the feds but not the states. I don't know the truth of this but this is what I have heard.
I have included a few quotes from the founding Fathers that, I hope, will give you all insight as to where I get my beliefs from. I assure you, I did not pull them out of thin air.
"On every question of construction (of
the constitution) let us carry
ourselves back to the time when the
constitution was adopted, recollect
the spirit of the debates, and instead
of trying what meaning may be squeezed
out of the text, or invented against
it, conform to the probable one in
which it was passed." Thomas
Jefferson
I entirely concur in the propriety of
restoring to the sense in which the
Constitution was accepted and ratified
by the nation. In that sense alone it
is a legitimate constitution. And, if
that be not the guide in expounding
it, there can be no security for
consistent and stable government."
James Madison
With these words from the founding fathers themselves how can you possibly come up to me and say that pornography is free speech?? How can you come up and tell me that abortion being legal is somehow called out for in the constitution?? Let me repeat these words again........."and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed". Do you see this? Do you understand this? Can you see what Thomas Jefferson meant when he wrote those words? Let me say it again so it really sinks in....... "and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed"
The liberal supreme court has redefined the constitution from its original intent to "more thoroughly address what it sees as the direction society must go". Freedom of speech has been corrupted to encompass things like pornography is legal, flag burning is free speech, the "piss Christ" is freedom of expression, etc. Other areas or rights have been redefined like being able to stop you and search you anywhere and anytime. Until recently your property could be confiscated without the need for your day in court.....CLEARLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL. Other things have been done by our government and the courts especially that goes against the constitution because of their NEW FOUND INTERPRITATIONS.
A good example is environmental law. Though well meaning, they can have the effect of government confiscation of your property to protect things like the yellow bellied sapsucker without you having recourse or redress of grievances at the loss of value to your property. They have made it illegal for you to do anything with your property,............... you cant build on it, you can't plant crops on it , you can’t do anything with it except leave it as it is. Your property value becomes virtually nothing, no one wants to buy it and because of a government law you cannot ask the government to pay you for the loss of value to your land because of a decision the courts have made through "creative interpritation". That is paramount to the government building a freeway through your house and then telling you "TOUGH LUCK BUDDY".
These "CREATIVE INTERPRITATIONS" of the constitution have done more to take away your freedoms then you know. Let me say the words of Thomas Jefferson again....."and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed". Pornography, flag burning, the piss Christ, marketing violence to our children, gun control, magazine bans, semi-automatic weapons bans, de-facto confiscation of property without compensation, the income tax, closing off of public lands to camping, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, suing the gun manufacturers, tort law, the war powers act, a presidential directive allowing the US government to spy on its own citizens and a whole slew of things have been "CREATIVLY INTERPRITED" to effect a gradual loss of your rights and freedoms. Little by little, bit by bit, you are loosing your constitutional freedom to CREATIVE INTERPRITATION where you all now think it is OK to burn the flag, confiscate peoples property without compensation, close off public land, ban guns, spy on Americans, give queers equal rights....etc. "let us carry ourselves back to the time when the constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit of the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed." Now go ahead and tell me the founding fathers meant abortion to be legal, flag burning to be free speech, environmental law allows confiscation of property without compensation, sexual deviancy to be normal, pornography to be free expression, (that’s another good one "FREE EXPRESSION" , Where the hell does that appear in the constitution?) etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.
DC, look at the level of comprehensive, thoughtful and intelligent posts. Has this issue stimulated heartfelt responses?? It’s a good thing!
I would also add that CREATIVE INTERPRITATION has caused much strife, greif, and damage to this country....look at the abortion issue and people killing each other over it. Look at the effect of the supreme courts definition of flag burning as free speech. Has this been good for our country? Do we really want CREATIVE INTERPRITATIONS? What's next? CREATIVE INTERPRITATIONS OF OUR GUN RIGHTS??
Here again a few words from our founders bear repeating.....
"In that sense alone it is a legitimate constitution. And, if that be not the guide in expounding it, there can be no security for consistent and stable government." James Madison.
There can be no security for consistent and stable government........ if we continue to creativly interprit the constitution....look at the abortion fight, look at the gun rights fight, look at the flag burning issue......Geez are those words as true today as they were then or what???
[This message has been edited by Frank Haertlein (edited June 27, 1999).]
