How far are Americans willing to go to exercise and defend their First Amendment rights?

For our senators and congressional representatives, the decision will come down to allowing the burning of the flag - a national symbol for freedom of expression and First Amendment rights.

The House and Senate are expected to vote this week on a constitutional amendment to allow a law prohibiting desecration of the American flag. The vote is predicted to be the closest on the emotionally charged topic since 1989, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared flag burning a constitutionally protected form of speech.

Our lawmakers must look beyond the cries of patriotism and tradition and vote against an amendment to ban flag burning.

Those who speak against flag burning claim it shows disrespect for a symbol of our past and our government, a slap in the face of the democracy we have defended for years.

But those who speak against flag burning should remember that without the First Amendment, the flag would mean nothing. And the First Amendment includes allowing speech and expression with which you vehemently disagree.

If lawmakers pass the amendment, they set a dangerous precedent for limiting free speech. Some could interpret the amendment liberally and attempt to ban protests involving the flag, burning of other universal symbols of democracy or speech.

Above all other citizens, our elected lawmakers, whose job is made possible by democracy and free speech, must be prepared to defend the First Amendment and strike down an amendment to ban a form of free speech.

Anything less would be unpatriotic.