We will put off continuing our discussion of Woke-banned words and all the fun with that to comment on The Donald’s latest assault on the public peace. Of course, we are speaking of his imperial decree (executive order) signed Monday the 25th, making burning a US flag an offense to be prosecuted.

And to remember a couple of fine people. People we don’t necessarily agree with, but greatly appreciate many of the things they said.

The first, of course, is the estimable George Carlin (1933-2009):

A flag is supposed to represent everything that a country does. It doesn’t only represent the good things. If you burn the flag, you’re burning the flag for what you perceive to be the bad things the country has done. it’s only a symbol. It’s only a piece of cloth. George Carlin (2009).

George said a lot of things that we don’t agree with, and we personally do not appreciate his choice of words (foul language), but still, he had a way with words that we can quote. We tried to (but failed) to find a video online of one of his stand-up comedy routines about burning the flag, but could not find one. Interesting, eh?

The other folks are of course Penn & Teller, the magicians, who also have a lot to say about liberty, including burning American flags as a protest.

Again, they are making the point that burning the flag – any flag – is not a right created by the US Constitution (or any other document of men). It is a universal right, a God-given right, of expression: whether it is of anger or warning or confusion. As with any act of free speech, we echo many: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” (The phrase was stated by English writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall in her 1906 biography of Voltaire, who is often credited with it.)

Like many libertarians, we reject the socialist and false religious connotations of the American Pledge of Allegiance – the US flag is no more sacred than any manmade thing. It is not something to be worshipped or to which we should pledge allegiance. (Although pledging some form of allegiance to a Republic rather than to a Democracy is certainly less intolerable to us.) But we do show respect and honor to any nation’s flag and other symbols: whether to the blue and gold banner of South Dakota, the Lone Star flags of Texas, or the tri-colors of Germany or Russia or (even) France.

Why is Trump doing this? It is certainly an act that has deeply disturbed him for years. But he is not stupid, and not exactly prone to tilting at windmills. He must surely realize (and had advisors tell him) that the Nine Nazgul are unlikely to override the 1986 ruling. He is getting exactly the reaction we lovers of liberty would hope for, not necessarily from the so-called left, but from the right: even Mark Levin has joined Sean Hannity, Glen Beck, and Clay and Buck in very forthrightly stating that they believe that The Donald is absolutely in the wrong on this.

So why is he spending the political capital? We shall see.

Meanwhile, to close this commentary, a few more words from comedian George Carlin:

“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”

“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”

“Governments don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They want obedient workers, people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork. And just dumb enough to passively accept it.”

“I have certain rules I live by. First rule: I don’t believe anything the government tells me.”

There are many more, of course. Readers, feel free to share a favorite – we’ll ### the dirty words, if needed.