No justice for the American flag
For those of you starved for original artwork by lawyers with too much time on their hands, take a trip this summer to Sacremento, California and visit the cafeteria at the California Department of Justice. There you will find, among a raft of art perpertated by members of the California Bar, a masterfully done piece cleverly entitled "T’anks to Mr. Bush" by erstwhile artist/ambulance chaser, Stephen Pearcy of Berkeley.
The masterpiece in question depicts an American flag in the shape of the United States being flushed down a toilet. While I have nothing against depictions of American flags being flushed, and I will defend your right to abuse American flags in a variety of ways as long as those ways don’t involve violence or actions that might endanger others, I wonder why such in your face extremism is permitted in a taxpayer funded facility. The same people that will approve of this "art" are the people who will also defend those that burn the American flag in the name of "free speech." I mean, there is only so much wall space, so I wonder if opposing views are being heard? Somehow, I doubt it.
Nathan Barankin, a spokesman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer commented, "For those that it offends, they shouldn’t look at it. For those that want to talk about public-policy matters and look at the art, they’re free to do so. But it’s their free choice."
There are those who oppose an amendment to protect the American flag from desecration who ask,what will we define as the American flag? Will likenesses of American flags on various objects also be protected from desecration?
My question is, if someone takes this childish attempt at art of the cafeteria wall and lights it on fire as an act of free speech, will Pearcy stand among those that defend that action?