OK. I’m a little early for the Fourth. I just wanted a chance to get in a thought I had. Probably a very un-original one.

For the Fourth this year, I think that everyone should burn a flag. Yes sir, an American Flag. Why? Do I hate America? No! I love America (although, there are days I can leave the Americans behind.) These idiots in Congress have passed a bill proposing that a Flag Burning Ban Amendment to the Constitution. I think Flag Burning is a pretty disrespectful thing to do, personally. If you are planning to burn a flag, I hope you are ready for the uproar it will cause.

But don’t ban it. If you or I or anyone else is so upset with this country, or the current administration, or whatever; that they want to burn a flag. Let them. Yes, it’s desecration. It’s also a protest. And this country is all about protest. We celebrate the fact that some of our founding fathers broke into a ship and destroyed who knows how much perfectly good tea. Breaking and entering? Destruction of property? No. Protest.

If burning a flag is the way you feel the need to protest. Go for it. I will promptly assume you are a looney and will avoid contact with you, but I don’t want to see you in jail over it.

The Congress has spent its time crafting this inane amendment proposal. Amazing. They can’t get a handle on gasoline prices. They can’t control this little disaster in Iraq. But thank goodness they have the time to worry about lunatics burning flags. Just what we need, another reason to throw people in jail.

I am told that bills like this are passed all the time. I am told it is nothing to worry about because it will never become a Constitutional Amendment, even if it gets past the Senate. But I am worried about it. The Congress has better things to work on. I’m sure of it.

So maybe it’s time to send a message. A protest perhaps. Maybe we should light our flags on fire to celebrate the Fourth of July. Personally, I can’t think of a more American celebration.