Did You Know...

**Written by Doug Powers

Some brief background in case you missed this one:

Benjamin Haas, communication studies graduate student, will burn an American flag tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon on the Parade Ground as part of a peaceful protest, according to Cody Wells, Student Government president.

Wells said Haas is exercising his First Amendment right to burn the flag. The burning comes nearly a week after Isaac Eslava was taken into custody after cutting down and burning the American flag flying over the War Memorial and stealing the University flag.

Wells said Haas went through University procedure to host tomorrow’s protest, and he also went through the procedure to organize a “peaceful assembly in response to recent flag burnings.”

“We’re going to respect his First Amendment right to burn our American flag,” Wells said.

He added he and others will then “exercise our own First Amendment rights” by holding their own ceremony.

Get a mental image of what you think Haas looks like, and you’re probably fairly close. That picture answers the age-old question, “Did the singer from the Spin Doctors ever have any kids?”

Anyway, today Haas showed up for his flag burning, and he was met with… well, let’s just say, a lesson that the First Amendment works both ways, and sometimes the loudest way chases off the smelliest way:

Suggested headline for tomorrow’s paper: “Hippie wimps out, William Ayers hardest hit”

Pundit Press has more student videos here.

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe