Saturday, May 14, 2011

Geaux Tigers

In spite of the fact that I took basic training at Ft. Polk in LA, I've always liked the Cajun culture down in dem bayous. I don't blame Justin Wilson and his buddies for the drill sergeants, humidity, or mosquitoes I suffered through.

I've also got a couple of friends who are on the faculty at LSU, which makes this story somewhat personal.

A mob of angry protesters chased a would-be flag burner at Louisiana State University (LSU) off campus Wednesday to chants of "USA, USA." (H/T JammieWearingFool)
A jeering crowd swarmed after communication studies graduate student Benjamin Haas on the Parade Ground this afternoon after he outraged many students and community members with an announcement that he planned to burn an American flag.

After chasing Haas off campus, the group of more than 1,000 straddled Highland Road, shouting a back-and-forth banter of "GO AMERICA" and "GO TIGERS."
The civilized, rational part of me cringes at the thought of stifling 'free speech.'

The conservative part of me agrees with the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist that flag burning is not speech, but rather "the equivalent of an inarticulate grunt."

The primitive, emotional part of me thinks "Good - run the damn hippie out of town on a rail."

I guess what makes us human is how we balance the conflicting parts of our makeup. Except in this case there wasn't too much balancing to be done.

The neanderthal won...

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