Dear George,

Why are we so worried about flag burning in this country? Aside from it being a pure (or impure) distraction from serious issues like a rising death toll from a faux "war on terrorism," we know we have many helpers abroad.

No, not to fight--the "coalition" is a farce. What we do have are people all over the world happy and eager to burn our flag due to the mendacity of this administration. Bush and his crowd have made it possible for us to be hated and feared and despised all over the globe, and those who burn our flag do so with a sense of retribution and contempt.

We, as a nation, might be better occupied with Congress trying to mend dismantled fences, if now possible, rather than destroying the Constitution of the United States by trumped-up issues, rather than giving the real, long-standing problems the back of its collective hand.

Barbara Rich (June 27, 2006)