evidently this video was made by a racist. LA IMC do not endorse any written comment on that video, but will not hide the post at this time, unless our readers think otherwise.
I think that the video has news value... minus the written comment, of course.
So far, the post has already been flagged once as "hate/insult."
A flag is only symbolic.
A book is paper and only is a symbol with words and maybe some meanings. Some one or group Decrees that every and anything referring to their group/ religion/ nation/ heroes must be venerated.
That creates false worshipping of things. The things are used to point to a meaning or source. The things are NOT that meaning or source. They are referrents or pointers or symbols, only.
To make these things venerable and holy is a false pretense, a false god, not a nation-state. In the form of products and objects, they are are worshipped as if they were holy or special. They are just things, representations, and they do not HOLD anything more than what a person attributes to that thing, or does not.
The flag stomper or spitter is giving meaning to a piece of colored fabric too. But it is not more a fabric.
Even if the intention is to make it more dramatic.
A very few products of ancient beauty or heritage may accrue more value than every flag/book made/ printed/ in China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Indaia, or the cheapest global producer.
To take every act that one person or group decides it is "insulting" or label that act as "HATE full" hate-speech, hate-act, hate-hate, whatever, that needs to be Acknowledged. Perhaps someone can make an apology if done sincerely, even for another, but the rest of us do not need to be protected from knowing the ways people express their anger and resentment for another person, religion, or another group.
Censorship is to protect.
We do not need to be protected - as we are educated [enough to read ] responsible reading adults, who have chosen to come to THIS INDEPENDENT SITE.
To make statements that say Indymedia doesnt endorse something shown or written but will limit it's appearance here for only a certain time is still a form of censorship but not an instant shock reaction to anything that is disliked, or to 'save' someone who then yells loudly "I am a victim here and some people hate me/us !!!" You do not need to protect them from knowing that others do not like or agree with them.
We do not need to do the job of monitoring every crazy person's words or every angry group's attitude or every
prejudiced groups' rebellions and displays. There may be at least a "kernel of truth" in what is said, shown, and there may need to be some other education, negociation, realization, or whatever that comes from knowing such strong feelings or provocations exist.
Media is to report and make known what is happening. Hate Happens.
just as Caring Happens, Shit happens, Magic happens, and accidents happen. Wars happen. Flags burn or get stepped on. People spit on the street and each other faces or feet, to make a point. A dirty one to be sure, but it is not a body blow or a bloody wound either.
To be too quick to jump 'the gun' or the 'censoring eliminating key' is to be an extremist who is/ are AFRAID to not be perfectly Politically Correct, by only one side's definitions and standards.
Hate and anger are displayed daily inside, outside, every side of any city, country, tribe - and wars DO NOT have to be fought because they exist.
To have and elicit other opinions of what is "not nice,"
would be more appropriate than saying "you can only like who we like, say what we agree with only, and never show us any other views".
Hate is nothing exciting and new and to be feared unless we are already soooooo FEARFUL that every
provocative display of anger, resentment, and attempt at insult and rebellion becomes 'a good reason' to shut us all down.
I did not see the video, dont need to, having seen similar acts of flag burning and stomping [USA flag, burned in many different other countries] on evening TV news or movies. So what is new? Children have seen this more than once too. And the symbols [printed so cheaply usually] on flags as on pretty dresses and neckties are nothing more than designs in someone's imagination. Their demand to make it more, important and significant, which is personal or national or religious, but it is only giving THEM the excuse to direct what is 'good by us', what can be seen, known, admitted, and what not.
Do not succumb to either side's presures to be on "their side" no matter who likes it or not. That is not being 'media'. We here need all kinds of reporting, and sharing of all kinds of information. The chosing only ONE position & point of view is biased and
propaganda....no matter what topic, what side it is.
wanna argue ?
let"s.......
Flag burning and its assorted ramifications is a protected form of free speech in America.
Its interesting how nationalism and religion join hands in the flags of some countries though