I say hell no it shouldn't be illegal. Too many proud Americans died protecting my right to burn that flag if I want to.
Don't burn the US flag in the US of A, you are likely to get shot by some patriotic nutter with a gun (they all have guns so it's a given that they will be packing heat when they come across you burning a piece of fabric). You can burn the US flag in Canada, or the Canadian flag or any country's flag for that matter, we don't care because we know it is just a piece of fabric. Paying $20 on a piece of cloth just so you can burn it is pretty stupid, we like to keep a little distance between ourselves and stupid people, my patriotism is not tied to some other person's idiocy.
I understand that the flag has meaning but what meaning is behind it that so many have abused and thought of burning it. We raise the flag on holidays and such with meaning of freedom but everyone wants to destroy it as something that isn't showing our government that they no longer believe in the flag. Too many things we have put high up there like something we are bowing to, all the statues that now are offending people... Why did we put these things out there for us to honor or worship. Honoring the flag yes, if someone burns it I do not see how they can punish them for what they are believing in to be their own truth and justice. We have followed our laws and constitution but where will this bring us with the same flag in the next 30-40 yrs. or will we have less rules to abide by and this issue may not matter anymore...
It has been legal to desecrate the flag since 1989.
[time.com]
If you need a flag to be patriotic or love the country or carry it before, is that any different than the Biblical 'no graven image before me'. To grave is to fashion by hand. I think Moses was trying to get his people to stop nationalistic tendencies. His people didn't like this so they started nailing pieces of bark to their doorways after Moses died, and so the tradition continues. I choose the US to live in -- I don't NEED a flag or a pledge to be happy.
I understand what you're saying, I don't need an idol of any fashion to love what I have been given simply by being born at the right place and time. However, it's important to remember that our opinions, aren't the opinions of all that we live with and I might be willing to burn a dirty rag without any fear of disrespecting anyone. If you place red and white stripes with a blue field and stars, I wouldn't burn that out of respect for those who hold value in that symbol. I have a great deal of respect for the men and women of our military. If they value that symbol and I value them I won't burn that rag
I can't comment as a Brit referring to the Stars and Stripes but if we were relating to the Union Jack or the home flags of each country within UK, to make such an act illegal would be far from ethical if it were your own property. As Crimson67 rightly points out the question should be raised and discussed as to why would you burn a piece of cloth. What it represents and why it would incite such action are questions that would certainly require resolution. Nation states are only as stable as their citizenship as evidenced by the many civil insurrections around the world over the centuries.