Flag Burning and Peggy Noonan

I've always thought that Peggy Noonan, former speech writer for the Great Communicator, was, as a political columnist, a good speech writer. She's a skilled word smith and nothing more. Still, once in a while she has an arresting observation about the political scene.

The flag burning amendment is a bad idea, and will not prove, in the end, politically wise or fruitful to any significant degree.

Of course, part of the reason I think this is worth repeating is because it agrees with my view. But she goes on the list three reasons why this is so. The last reason is one I hadn't thought of, and worth quoting:

Americans don't always say this or even notice it, but they love their Constitution. They revere it. They don't want it used as a plaything. They want the Constitution treated as a hallowed document that is amended rarely, and only for deep reasons of societal or governmental need. A flag burning amendment is too small bore for such a big thing.

Now if only some of elected officials learned the same reverence we might try to come to grips with some real problems, of which we have a few.