Burning a flag is one of the most serious
] commentaries we can make about the activity of our government.
] I thought the ability to stand up and say, categorically, "My
] government is wrong." was somehow important to the American
] ideal.

This is an extremely important point. In the past, the greatest advantage of living in the US was the freedom to stand up and voice your opinion no matter what it may be. Correct me if I'm wrong but this ideal is what our country was founded on. At the present time it seems that if your opinion does not closely coincide with the powers that be then you are in trouble.

RE: Kerry, Edwards and Daschle May Face Vote on Flag (washingtonpost.com)