vaxing is almost tantamount to burning the flag

[GoodTaste]

Richard Dawkins just tweeted:
US discourages travel to UK because “very high level of COVID-19”. Yet higher % of UK adults are twice-vaccinated than US adults once. Americans might better avoid travelling to those “red” states where vaxing is almost tantamount to burning the flag.
Source

Does the phrase "vaxing is almost tantamount to burning the flag" mean "vaxing is almost tantamount to treason"?
Why this thread? Burning the flag in China is almost tantamount to treason, and so no Chinese within the borders of China burns it; yet I often read in newspapers that Americans burn their flag as a protest and it is said that it is an American's liberty to burn the flag and would not be arrested by police. So I don't this Dawkin's phrase. Because burning the flag is just a sign of legal protest.
But times may have changed. Dawkins perhaps knows the US far better than me. I am not sure.
What does the phrase mean?

 

[Tdol]

Vaccines have become politicised with the anti-vax movement to such an extent that in some parts, mostly red states, people are said to regard having the jab as unpatriotic. Also, remember that this is Richard Dawkins tweeting, and he loves to be provocative.

 

[probus]

It's probably worth noting that people who burn their flag consider themselves to be extremely patriotic. That seems quite illogical to me, but apparently not to them.

 

[GoodTaste]

Is burning the flag forbidden by the government in the UK?

 

[5jj]

No.

 

[5jj]

Slightly off topic.

Unless the country is at war, or under a state of emergency, the British government cannot 'forbid' anything. If the government wishes to make something illegal, it must gain the approval of both houses of parliament.

 

[GoesStation]

Unless the country is at war, or under a state of emergency, the British government cannot 'forbid' anything. If the government wishes to make something illegal, it must gain the approval of both houses of parliament.

This is a good illustration of a difference between British and American English. In British English, the word "government" means what administration means in American English: the administrative branch of government.

 

[Skrej]

It's probably worth noting that people who burn their flag consider themselves to be extremely patriotic. That seems quite illogical to me, but apparently not to them.

I seriously doubt that. They may think they're doing something significant in the way of protesting injustice, but patriotism is a filthy word to them. They're the people claiming how evil or unjust the US is. They burn the flag partially as protest, but mostly for the shock value and to try and instigate a reaction from bystanders, especially people who consider such acts as sacrilege.

The irony of course is the very freedom that allows them to perpetuate such an act without significant repercussions. People who consider themselves patriotic understand the sanctity of the flag and wouldn't publicly burn one.

Granted, flag code does outline the retirement of desecrated or worn out flags via burning under very specific guidelines in a venerable ceremony. Generally those ceremonies are performed by patriotic groups such as a local VFW chapter, but technically anyone can do so.

It's supposed to be done as a private ceremony in a non-public location. Some groups advocate tearing the flag into strips along the stripes before burning, although the union field (blue area with stars) is kept intact. Still, it's a solemn, dignified ceremony, not the public display of barbarism those "oppressed" individuals have the freedom to do without (legal) repercussion.

 

[Skrej]

In a gross over-simplification, red states are perceived as being more patriotic and resistant to government intrusion into daily life. The vaccination effort, being driven largely by the federal government, is to be distrusted as another intrusion. Of course for someone patriotic, burning the flag is an act of treason, although legally speaking it's neither treason or even illegal.

Dawkins is claiming that the vaccination effort is viewed as government intrusion, and thus as unpatriotic as flag burning.

While there's probably some who do feel that way, Dawkins is making some very broad generalizations for the sake of being provocative and presumably get more followers, like a true twit.

Edit: I'm just explaining the relative viewpoints, not necessarily exposing my own, (except for the jab at Dawson).

 

[Tdol]

Is burning the flag forbidden by the government in the UK?

No, but we set less store by it- you won't see it hanging outside houses much. You'll see the nations' flags for sports events like the World Cup.