Posted on 09/26/2009 10:12:55 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
VALLEY FALLS -- The young man was given three choices: get turned over to the police, go one-on-one in a fight with a seasoned war veteran, or be duct-taped to a flagpole for six hours with a sign around his neck identifying his alleged crime: flag burning.
It was the third option that would still have the small town buzzing a week after a 21-year-old was hunted down and forced to endure a public humiliation with its roots dating to the Middle Ages. Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1938 were incensed enough to tie up the man last Sunday after they accused him of setting the flag in front of their building on fire.
Post Commander Nick Normile, a Vietnam War veteran, said the man came into the post's bar Sept. 18 on Poplar Avenue and was eventually turned away for not having a proper ID.
Apparently angered, the young man, who Normile did not want to name, cut the rope of the American flag flying overhead and used a cigarette lighter to set it on fire, Normile and others said.
The man sat pilloried as the village had its fall youth soccer picnic with a long parade of children passing in front of him.
"He'll never disrespect the flag again, I can tell you that," Normile said.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesunion.com ...
That’s called vandalism, nothing more. Do you beat up vandals, or do you press criminal charges against them? How about you, do you believe in the rule of law?
“Flag burning isn’t illegal”
If you own the flag in question,,no it is not illegal. But he burned a flag that belonged to them,,therefore, it’s illegal as hell. They offered him a chance to siimply be arrested by the police for his crime, or take an alternate punshment they liked.
It was illegal, and they settled on a contract in lieu of prosecution. Simple.
Hahaha, too funny.
Burning this flag was a criminal act of vandalism by the perp. It was not political speech.
Burning the flag is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment.
The flag is sacred to me and to many others,but it is within’s a person’s right to burn the flag of his country to protest his own government.
The First Amendment does not protect against @ss-whopping that might occur after the flag is torched.
dr, it was not his flag to burn! The flag was someone else’s
property. You just can’t go around mucking up another persons stuff. He got what he deserved.
Calm yourself, I was simply commenting on the use of public shaming, jeeze.
Because the proper, approved, method for disposing of an American Flag which has become unserviceable (unsuitable for display) due to damage, wear, etc. is to burn it, in a proper ceremony with respect.
Not like this sh!thead in the story did, of course.
Google it, or check the American Legion site, or any of a number of sites dedicated to proper care and display of Old Glory.
US Flag Code, TITLE 4 > CHAPTER 1 > Sec. 8(k) states:"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning"
Why?
I don’t think you get it. Self-righteousness over a $40 flag, probably made in China, is not a sane reason to get into fisticuffs with anybody.
Calm myself?! You’re the one who’s advocating violence.
Ironic given your screen name that you could fail to mention that organized crime was rampant in the Old West.
Great story. Since the law in many areas is useless, and the punk didn’t get hurt, I see no problem. We need more of this.
I can’t believe you even have to ask.
I think you need to re-read my post, I said no such thing. Done with this rediculous discussion with you and your spewing of cursing. Have a super weekend.
Don’t burn a flag in front of me if you don’t want to fight. I don’t care if it’s $4 or $40, you will fight or end up in intensive care because I will be doing my best to get you there. It won’t end in a black eye.
Well I did, so what’s your answer?
So do I. They should have just beaten the living daylights out of him.
Best story of the day!
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