Hold my beer, and watch this:
Posted on 10/16/2007 9:29:43 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
A former peace officer burned a Mexican flag in protest of the U.S. policy toward undocumented immigrants, and his demonstration at the Alamo has garnered national attention.
David Bohmfalk was set to go to court on a case of constitutional law regarding his right to burn a flag — any flag — on the steps of the Alamo. Now it appears the city is unfurling the white flag of surrender.
Bohmfalk's protest took two minutes, and the result was a $198 ticket for burning without a permit.
Free speech, Bohmfalk says, is worth fighting for. But now he won't have his day in court. Hours after the story first aired on KENS 5, the charges were dismissed.
"I am out financially, and I've had a lot of emotional turmoil over this," Bohmfalk said.
More coverage KENS video: Watch the broadcast
Bohmfalk has waited several months for a court date. Three court settings were rescheduled during that time.
The city attorney's office says it wasn't until a court date was set that prosecutors got their first look at the case. They admit it should have been thrown out, but that it was lost in the sheer volume of municipal cases.
"We're talking a thousand people a day walking through that door, and no one's happy," Deputy City Attorney Joe Niño said.
Bohmfalk's case has made the national news. Across the Web, it's the talk of patriotic Web sites, and some blogs are critical of him.
His attorney, Jason Jakob, says officers detained the former peace officer that May Day trying to find something to charge Bohmfalk with. All the while, he says, his client took some heat of his own.
"They tried to call him a domestic terrorist. They tried to get him for arson. They detained him for an hour and a half worth of his time. They allowed him to be spit on," Jakob said.
His brush with the law and his attorney's fees now have Bohmfalk considering more legal action against the city.
The guy is probably lucky the cops took him into custody when they did. If it was me wanting to make a statement against illegal immigration, maybe SA wouldn’t be the first place I would choose.
How can it be legal to burn the US flag but not the Mexican flag? Especially in Texas.
I could see it in California or Massachusetts.
“Bohmfalk”, hmmmm, what an unfortunate name.
Regards.
Hispanic police officers, unhappy with the protesters' politics, allowed him to be spit on and verbally abused (either by mexican tourists or hispanic U.S. citizens, or both) while they detained him.
Somebody needs to be taken to task for violating this brave mans' civil rights.
Actions have consequences, even for hispanic police officers who hold Caucasians in disdain.
Police officers. The agents of the state...but what state, and what people, do "hispanic" police officers represent?
And whose laws do they enforce?
The laws of the States of the United States, founded by white anglo-saxon Protestants?
Or the laws of Catholic, monarchist Mexico and Spain?
We all know the answer.
Hold my beer, and watch this:
My daughter and I were sitting on the stone around the planters in Alamo Plaza one day waiting for her sister. Watching the Preacher strut his stuff, we lamented that AP was really tame when compared to a Central Park NYC scene. We decided, what was really needed was a Troupe of Mimes to act out the Preachers rantings.
I will however give honorable mention to the two labor picketers protesting Pioneer Mills. We asked them why they weren't picketing at the Pioneer mills location. (about 3 miles away) Their answer: "There isn't anyone to see us picketing there."
Alamo Plaza has a lot of potential, But it seems somehow, I always miss the "Good Stuff." The Mexican flag being burned, Ozzie Osbourne's visit...
Amen, Joe- I may have burned a Mexican flag, but I’ll fight any SOB burning an American flag. Oh, for you dingbat liberals out there, the difference is that the AMERICAN flag is the flag of the country you’re supposedly a citizen of. Dogs won’t bite the hand that feeds them, but whoever said a left-wing dingbat has the brain of a dog?
Why was I lucky the cops took me into custody? They were also hispanic, and they did NOTHING while I was spat at and had my life threatened IN THEIR PRESENCE by a couple that was there. Oh, but one of them did give me an earful about what his ancestor (”...he fought in the Texas Revolution, too...on the OTHER side.”), would have done to me, had he caught me burning a Mexican flag. Not to mention all the unadulterated BS in the “official” police report.
While I’m on the subject, let me take a moment to tell the readers here. The report said I was “apologetic” and “very cooperative”. Apologetic? Nooooo, I was just letting the cop have enough rope to hang himself with. Hint: I’m a licensed police instructor and I have a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, specializing in police ethics. Of course, he made it too easy, rookie mistakes that he made!
First of all, welcome to FR. We could use a few more like yourself (doers instead of talkers)
I live in the Austin area and have visited SA many a time. I’m guessing you’re a brave soul but, the gangs in SA would have no qualms about throughly kicking your ass. (for lesser reasons)
I wasn’t implying any disrespect. I just know the area.
What was the final straw that led you to do this?
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