Man arrested for humping American Flag

[No Limit]

Do you not think it is a shame and an insult to those soldiers to have that flag rubbed all over some idiot's nuts? I'm not saying that you shouldn't have the right to express your thoughts and opinions, but you shouldn't do it by destroying a flag.

Why not?

In a free country do you have a right to call those soldiers murderers?

In a free country do you have a right to call your country immoral?

In a free country do you have the right to go protest soldier's funerals?

Yes or no?

 

[Krynn72]

I dont hate america btw, I have relatives in america (I feel like I'm an immigrant "in america, tings vill be different, da streets ees paved with da gold"). ..my aunt vted for George Bush ...twice ..we dont discuss politics ..also there's a lot of cool americans I admire ..like Lassie and Santa Claus ..then there's recent immigrant Hey-sus, Pop n Fresh, and finally Robin hood

And Krynn.

Why not?

In a free country do you have a right to call those soldiers murderers?

In a free country do you have a right to call your country immoral?

In a free country do you have the right to go protest soldier's funerals?

Yes or no?

In a free country? Yes. In America? No.

I think the US should stop considering itself a "free country." Its quite clearly not one anymore.

 

[CptStern]

oh there's a ton on this forum I admire ...but I dont want to give you all swollen heads ...you know who you are ...or maybe you dont, come to think I dont tell you I love as often as I should ...I Love you all /me hugs everyone cept Urinal /me sticks out tongue at Uriel

 

[Anthraxxx]

Why not?

In a free country do you have a right to call those soldiers murderers?

In a free country do you have a right to call your country immoral?

In a free country do you have the right to go protest soldier's funerals?

Yes or no?

Does the flag represent the freedom to call our soldiers murders, call our country immoral, and allow you to protest a soldier's funeral?

Yes or No?

The flag doesn't represent our opinions. It represents our freedom to express our opinions. It represents all the people who have died so that we could HAVE the freedom to express our opinions. Destroying a flag is like saying that that freedom that it represents is false.

 

[WacK]

And why the hell did he go to jail ? DUUUDE IS A PIECE OF CLOTH-ISH MATERIAL!

 

[Muffin Man]

Eh, I'm all for freedom of expression, but it sounds like he was just being an attention whore/troll. If you want to make a point, at least be organized and intelligent about it. I don't have any sympathy for him, really, but I think that he's facing penalties that outweigh his "crime."

 

[Pulse]

QFE.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I still fail to see how a piece of cloth represents the dead soldiers who sacrificed their lives for america. We have memorials for that.

 

[CptStern]

Eh, I'm all for freedom of expression, but it sounds like he was just being an attention whore/troll. If you want to make a point, at least be organized and intelligent about it. I don't have any sympathy for him, really, but I think that he's facing penalties that outweigh his "crime."

I'm surprised so many of you think it was just attention seeking ..it didnt occur to you that the person was mentally unbalanced? there's a guy at the coffee shop I go to ..often talks to himself loudly ..couple times I've heard him say "ya george bush, wont he be surprised, when they tell him ...hhahahaha ." and then trails off ..anyways the person sounds like he was coming unhinged:

The gentleman kept saying vulgar things about America and the flag and what he wants to do to the flag in a vulgar way."

who in their right mind says they want to have sex with the flag in public ..ok pretty colours but not the least bit sexy ..unless it's surrounded by this

 

[Stigmata]

Flag desecration is not civil disobedience. It's outright treason. Martin Luther King never burned a flag, and yet he still used civil disobedience to make a change in our country. It was Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, i think, that said that civil disobedience was an obligation.

King was arrested for civil disobedience many times because the government wasn't meeting the needs of the the people, particularly the black people.

trea?son /ˈtrizən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[tree-zuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
?noun
1. the offense of acting to overthrow one's government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2. a violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or to one's state.
3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.

Last I checked, desecration of the American flag is none of those. [edit, I should elaborate:] 1. Burning the flag does not overthrow or attempt to overthrow the government. 2. It does not violate one's allegiance to the state. You're burning a flag, not giving nuclear codes to the Russians. 3. Burning a flag betrays... the trust of the government in the fact that you won't burn the flag? Sounds kinda shaky.

Furthermore, if the flag truly did represent freedom of speech/expression/etc, then by that same token you would have to allow the destruction of the flag. The illegality of flag burning is a blue law that directly infringes on one's freedoms.

 

[Muffin Man]

I'm surprised so many of you think it was just attention seeking ..it didnt occur to you that the person was mentally unbalanced? there's a guy at the coffee shop I go to ..often talks to himself loudly ..couple times I've heard him say "ya george bush, wont he be surprised, when they tell him ...hhahahaha ." and then trails off ..anyways the person sounds like he was coming unhinged:

who in their right mind says they want to have sex with the flag in public ..ok pretty colours but not the least bit sexy ..unless it's surrounded by this

Eh, you're probably right. But, I don't know, I know a lot of people around me who are just assholes who want attention who would do things like that just for the sake of doing it. They're considered "normal" people, and they would receive "normal" consequences for their actions; whether or not you consider the actions justifiably wrong. I guess I just assume that if he were mentally unwell that it would have been taken into consideration. Perhaps I just put too much faith in the justice system? Who knows, but I know a lot of people around here who make it hard to place much faith in human behavior. I only know that which I am surrounded by, .

 

[CptStern]

Eh, you're probably right. But, I don't know, I know a lot of people around me who are just assholes who want attention who would do things like that just for the sake of doing it. They're considered "normal" people, and they would receive "normal" consequences for their actions; whether or not you consider the actions justifiably wrong. I guess I just assume that if he were mentally unwell that it would have been taken into consideration. Perhaps I just put too much faith in the justice system? Who knows, but I know a lot of people around here who make it hard to place much faith in human behavior. I only know that which I am surrounded by, .

police just dont have the training or an even opportunity to determine whether someone is mentally unbalanced ..pretty much everyone who is arrested is in some sort of distress so they really have no cause to diferentiate between stress and mental distress ..however I can almost bet he wont be assessed mentally ..not unless there was an attempted suicide or whatever ..their responsibility is to process a criminal and send him back out ..they really have no interest in helping him

 

[Muffin Man]

Which is a problem, I agree. Our justice system could use a little reform, honestly, but I'm not sure if we have the man-power to support what would be ideal realistically. We need somebody to put some thought into the system and how it can be improved, but I don't think that's me, at least not right now, so I'm not going to put any major thought into it. But I do agree with you wholeheartedly.

 

[Asus]

hah those pictures are great.

 

[No Limit]

Does the flag represent the freedom to call our soldiers murders, call our country immoral, and allow you to protest a soldier's funeral?

Yes or No?

The flag doesn't represent our opinions. It represents our freedom to express our opinions. It represents all the people who have died so that we could HAVE the freedom to express our opinions. Destroying a flag is like saying that that freedom that it represents is false.

You are missing the point.

You are trying to tell me that a flag is more representive of the soldiers that died for this country than an actual dead soldier?

So if what you are saying, that we don't have the right in a free country to disrespect the people that have died in combat for this country then that shouldn't just apply to the flag. It should mean we don't have a right to protest dead soldiers funers, we shouldn't have the right to call the murderers, you can even stretch that to say we can't criticise the battles they fight.

Its a slippery slope. If you believe we don't have a right to disrespect the american flag you don't deserve to call yourself an american.

 

[PvtRyan]

In a free country you can do anything you want as long as it does not hurt others, and as long as whatever freedom you take advantage is avoidable by those that do not wish to see/hear it.

 

[kirovman]

 

[theotherguy]

In a free country you can do anything you want as long as it does not hurt others, and as long as whatever freedom you take advantage is avoidable by those that do not wish to see/hear it.

Exactley. Burning or otherwise destroying a piece of fabric that just happens to have stars and stripes on it should not be a crime. Its utterly ridiculous. Its merely a symbol and a tool for displaying a country graphically, and it shouldn't be idolized the way it is.

 

[theotherguy]

:thumbs:

 

[Qonfused]

oh btw I never ever want to hear another person comment on a single thing that doesnt originate from their own homes because "why would people care so much about what happens outside their homes if they don't live there?"

Never make another thread bashing the United States, and it's a done deal. Too bad that will never happen.

To put it simply, he was being a troll, about as much of a troll as CptStern is being right now, so I'm done in this thread.

Yeah.

Honestly, CptStern, the "lol, look at america, they so dumb" threads are getting old. And I'm no patriotic being myself. I plan to move to Canada when I turn 18. But it's really getting old, along with the rest of your sheep: "lol, amerika so dumb." You post these isolated police events a lot... and post them as if they're a widespread epidemic. Then you seal the deal with a one liner like "Land of the free my ass," or something to that effect. I'll be expecting a multi quote response to which I won't respond. So don't bother.

 

[Geogaddi]

Must...get...Ron Paul...elected.....

 

[Gorgon]

heh you editted ..you said something about "a graphics update is welcome" ..methinks you were trying to post that in the stalker thread ...but your new edit makes even less sense than your first post in this thread

hehe omg you are a fast reader.

 

[-Psy-]

QFE.

 

[Tagaziel]

W00T! USSR at it's finest!

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

I'm sick of looking at the damn flag. It doesn't mean anything anymore. Wipe your ass with it for all I care.

 

[Rapstah]

The perfect flag is a clean flag. Nothing at all, except possibly a symbol for the country it's representing - no religious symbols, nothing at all.

I'm creating D:land.

 

[PvtRyan]

The perfect flag is a clean flag. Nothing at all, except possibly a symbol for the country it's representing - no religious symbols, nothing at all.

I'm creating D:land.

I'd live in D: land. Where the only allowed facial expressions are D: and

. Oh yeah!

 

[Muffin Man]

The perfect flag is a clean flag. Nothing at all, except possibly a symbol for the country it's representing - no religious symbols, nothing at all.

You mean the French flag?

 

[Rapstah]

The flag of D:land;

=================================
=================================
======OO===========OO============
=====OOOO=========OOOO===========
======OO===========OO============
=================================
=================================
======DDDDDDDDDDDDDD=============
=====D..............D============
====D................D===========
====DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD==========
=================================
=================================

EDIT: roflwtf, that wasn't what it was supposed to look like

 

[PvtRyan]

You mean the French flag?

He shoots, he scores.

 

[15357]

*looks up criminal code*


"Up to 5 years imprisonment or up to 25 million in fine for desecration of the national flag in public. "



Meh. He should be floged in public.

 

[Asknoone]

Oh, Numbers, please, be quiet.
The Authoritarian you-will-do-as-you're-told is getting stale.

Under Florida law, anyone who mutilates, defaces, tramples, or burns a U.S. or Florida flag with the goal of insulting it is guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor.

What a ****ed up place. That's the stupidest thing I've laid eyes on today, and in the land of the internet that it ain't no easy feat. How absolutely retarded.

He was disrespecting the flag and yah, i've got a problem with that too.

Stupid.

I think he deserved it, but whatever.

Stupid.

Agreed.
Don't really see why people care so much about what happens in America if they don't live here.

:|

Relevant how? That's basically disregarding anything that goes on outside the walls of your own home. Apparently your country cared enough about a certain country in the Middle-East that it warranted a bang on invasion. But hey, we don't live there! Apologies (or not, as the case may be), but if there's something downright retarded going on over-sea's (as is most certainly the case right now), then I think caring is warranted.

Argh.

 

[Taboo]

You insensitive pricks. Do you have any idea how many people died defending this country so others could proudly bear this sacred symbol on their asses?

 

[Geogaddi]

This makes me want buy one of those 100 foot American flags, erect it in their town square, and burn the f*cker to the ground while I read off the Bill of Rights through a megaphone.

 

[Pauly]

oh my god the humanity, they should give him the death penalty ......land of the free my ass




http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/...n=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

oh he was just so hurtful? it's a freaking piece of cloth ..Bush and his cronies can steamroll over your rights but god forbid someone should hump an american flag


I fully endorse and support humping american flags ..if there's hot naked supermodels holding the flags so much the better ...oh and all those at the scene who were outraged should be shot, repeatedly

/agree

 

[Anthraxxx]

Anyone who thinks that burning or destroying an American flag is ok doesn't understand what the flag truly represents and why it represents it. The symbol of blood shed for freedom is a large part of what it represents. To defile such a symbol goes against one of the reasons why the flag itself is representative of freedom. Because freedom isn't free and someone has paid the price for there to even be such a thing that too many people take for granted with out appreciation. To say that I am unamerican because it is my opinion that the american flag holds deeper meaning for me is an insult. The symbol of freedom that the american flag represents is the reason why burning or destroying a flag is unlawful in America. It is because of the importance of the people who have died for our freedoms that we take for granted. To believe that the stars and stripes are just patterns on a piece of fabric only goes to show how undervalued you take freedom to be.



Text of the Flag Protection Act

The text of the law reads:

(a)(1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both. (2) This subsection does not prohibit any conduct consisting of the disposal of a flag when it has become worn or soiled.

(b) As used in this section, the term "flag of the United States" means any flag of the United States, or any part thereof, made of any substance, of any size, in a form that is commonly displayed.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as indicating an intent on the part of Congress to deprive any State, territory, possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico of jurisdiction over any offense over which it would have jurisdiction in the absence of this section.

(d)(1) An appeal may be taken directly to the Supreme Court of the United States from any interlocutory or final judgment, decree, or order issued by a United States district court ruling upon the constitutionality of subsection (a). (2) The Supreme Court shall, if it has not previously ruled on the question, accept jurisdiction over the appeal and advance on the docket and expedite to the greatest extent possible.



It's not just a piece of fabric. If you really don't like the country you live in, then move someplace that's isn't the United States of America. If you believe that freedom should mean that you destroy a symbol of freedom, then take a longer look at the people who have died to give you the chance of being free. Don't tell me that I am not deserving to be an american. Don't look down upon me because I happen to appreciate our flag more than you do. I really do understand the true meaning of this flag of mine. I've had a cousin die in the Gulf War and many friends that are in Iraq and Afghanistan who are fighting for the freedom of the people there. My parents are immigrants from Vietnam who risked their lives just to come to this country. How could you possibly say that I an not deserving of being an american just because I don't think that one of the symbols of freedom should be defaced in such an ugly manner?

It is sad to see so many people who don't appreciate what freedoms they do have.


Edit: I just asked my family, and he didn't die in the gulf war, but committed suicide after coming back. Still, the war took it's toll.

 

[K e r b e r o s]

Sometimes I'm glad I live in Britain.

You are however, being watched. On every street corner. By every camera that can feasibly turn and see you.

He was disrespecting the flag and yah, i've got a problem with that too. If the state law is against it, then move to another state. If it was obscene, than I have no problem with him being arrested at all. People have children and if I did, I certainly wouldn't want some nut doing that in front of them.

QFTW!

 

[K e r b e r o s]

The Authoritarian you-will-do-as-you're-told is getting stale.

So is the overly excited knee-jerk hyperventillating responses of, "ZOMG JOO DO DIS IN TEH COUNTRIE?!!!!!11"

... and how is someone's opinion that disrespecting a flag is not right, stupid?

 

[No Limit]

Anyone who thinks that burning or destroying an American flag is ok doesn't understand what the flag truly represents and why it represents it.

I understand it perfectly.

Because freedom isn't free and someone has paid the price for there to even be such a thing that too many people take for granted with out appreciation.

How does a flag make you appreciate freedom more than freedom makes you appreciate freedom?

To say that I am unamerican because it is my opinion that the american flag holds deeper meaning for me is an insult. The symbol of freedom that the american flag represents is the reason why burning or destroying a flag is unlawful in America.

It is YOUR opinion. It is not MY opinion. That's whats wonderful about freedom, we can all have our own opinions without being persecuted for them. But as soon as you infringe on someone elses opinion by making that perticular opinion illegal you lose freedom, the same freedom all those people died to protect. This is why its an insult to this country to say you can't burn flags. That's why to say such a thing is so unamerican and by saying it you seem to be the one that doesn't appreciate nor respect freedom, its not the other way around. As idiotic as those people that burn the flag of the country they live in, a country they wouldn't want to leave is, it doesn't mean you have a right to take that freedom away from them because you happen to disagree with it.

 

[Que-Ever]

If they gave freedoms to be an unnapreciative dick, they might as well make stealing legal, too.