flag mutilation Options

[smile4me]

are we, as Americans, entitled to mutilate flags? (ie. burning, putting extraneous signs next to/by flags...etc)....if nobody is hurt in the process?
Does it violate the First Amendment when people express their opinions (such as antiwar, disagreeance with a law...etc) by burning the flag?
...And when it is said "Freedom of speech", does that stop at the literal sense of speech?


Several cases have already been recorded for people that have been arrested and tried for things such as "mutilation" of the flag. One case involves a person who simply placed a peace sign on a flag with removable tape.
This flag was his property. He was arrested for placing this peace sign (the circle thingy with the three lines inside) on his flag.
Another case (Texas vs. Johnson) involved the man actually burning the flag as a form of protest...


Anyway, I think that flag mutilation does not harm anybody or infringe on anybody's right for safety, and therefore, nothing is wrong with it.

Your thoughts?

[*tweeak*]

its not legal, but ill do what i want with it. personally, while i dont see the point in going out and mutilating a flag, im not going to like yell at someone for putting a flag on the ground, or hesitate to do so myself. that may have mattered back in the wars of old, but its not relevant to our society now. were not so desperate to provoke patriotism. or perhaps we are, but people are far more cynical now, and wont buy spoon fed tales of being a good american. of course some people will, but thats why most of the military is lower class...