Mexican activist attempts to burn American Flag-key word "attempts"

Personally I less offended by someone burning the flag make a political statement than I by paperplates napkins bikinis and boxer shorts with the flag on them.
I am infinitely more offended by the local car dealership, McDonalds, Gas Station (insert other business here) that flies the flag 24/7 in all weather until its tattered and torn.
For those that find the fellow burning the flag so offensive have you complained to local businesses that disrespect the flags that they fly in front of thier businesses?

I dont really care if a person has the right to burn the American flag or not.
If I see someone trying to burn it, especially a foreigner, im going to stop them and I dont really care what the law says.

And if you are a real American you should do the same thing.

The Flag is more than a piece of cotton imo.

Originally posted by earth2
I dont really care if a person has the right to burn the American flag or not.
If I see someone trying to burn it, especially a foreigner, im going to stop them and I dont really care what the law says.

And if you are a real American you should do the same thing.

The Flag is more than a piece of cotton imo.

Couldent have said it better. Whole generations of my family did not fight for this country so its very symbols could be desecrated at will.

Especially by a few deluded traitors who want to separate our country almost in half and return it to Mexico.

The right to free expression includes the right to look like a total jack ass. The first ammendment was not written to protect people who stand on soap boxes and extol the virtues of apple pie and motherhood, but to protect those with unpopular opinions. The founding fathers were well aware that for every person with an unpopular opinion like Galileo, there are hundreds of jackasses. Nevertheless they implemented the first ammendment knowing all to well it would protect the Galileos as well as the jackasses.

Is it just me, or did the guy that took the flag away from him look hispanic too?

It also didn't look to me that his fellow protesters were too keen on the whole idea, they were kind of looking at him like "who is this idiot?"

For the record, I stand with the US Supreme Court, flag burning is protected speech whether we like it or not. On the other hand, while it shouldn't be a legal issue, I also don't have any problem with private citizens expressing their displeasure about it either.

Using racial insults is protected speech too IMHO - that doesn't mean you don't deserve to get your behind kicked for it

[edit on 7/29/07 by xmotex]

OK I heard the guy who took the flag away from the other guy say 'I fought for this' so maybe he was a veteran.

I can also see a parade reflected off the windows with american flags going by, so im thinking this is in america.



[edit on 29-7-2007 by earth2]

The guy trying to burn the flag should have had his head stomped in.. It's really that simple. "Love it, or leave it!!" -Merle Haggard..

The guy that took the flag called the would be flag burner exactly what he a is... "A bitch!!"" I guarantee you, I want someone to try and burn a flag in front of me... The next thing they would know, their ass would be on fire rather than the flag... Dirty rotten bastards!! This really pisses me off that we have scum in this country that take advantage of everything America gives to them, yet they hate it... Freaking leave!!! You will be doing everyone a freaking favor...

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
The guy trying to burn the flag should have had his head stomped in..

Yes, because we all know that a piece of dyed cloth has more worth than an individual member of the human race.

Originally posted by Boondock78
en.wikipedia.org...

Everything in that wiki article dealt with how to treat the flag with respect. I didn't see where desecration of it was encouraged.

my point is, you put a lot of stock in the flag...thats great....that does not give you the right to impose your feelings on others, or from stopping them from displaying their feelings towards the cotton.

why is this so hard to understand?

But it's OK for you to impose your feelings on me by burning the flag, eh?

Originally posted by eyewitness86
MOST countries on this planet do NOT force it's citizens to stand and put their hands on certain parts of their bodies and repeat some verse that intends to promote blind obedience to the powers that be, namely the poltical structure, which we all know is as corrupt as the Cosa Nostra, maybe more so. At least a decent Mafioso will keep the law of OMERTA in place and have some allegiance to family before the State.

Nor do they do it here in the US. Stop with the drama.

When I was in military school all those years, and then the Air Force, I felt a tingle when I saw the flag and heard the martial music; we were a different nation then. Now, we are the chattel for the corporate bosses and their political minions to use and abuse as they wish, spied on, searched and held without cause, rights denied, votes stolen, secrecy at maximum levels, government sponsored terrorism ( see 9-11 ) and on and on.

We are no longer a nation that can hold it's head high and claim moral and legal superiority over anyone else; we murder, we torture, we steal trillions of dollars, we steal whole nations for oil and money.

Who are WE in this day and age to be trumpeting about the high ground to ANY other country? Habeas Corpus, GONE. Privacy rights, GONE. Warrants required before a search or detention, GONE. Giving captured soldiers Red Cross access and respect for the Geneva Conventions, GONE.

WE are the rouge state, WE are the terror sponsors, WE are the nightmare of a looming police state, WE are the nation with NO health care for millions of it's citizens, WE are the premiere producer of nuclear and toxic waste, WE are the nation that says nothing when a Court stops an election and gives it to their cronies, etc.

Now that you're done with your sidetracking rant, which is a load of BS imo, let me say that I would be willing to donate for a ONE-WAY ticket for you out of the US to whatever utopia you want to squat in.

Anyone who interferes with the burning of a flag, or any other form of political protect, should be arrested and charged with assault, theft and civil rights violations. How DARE anyone go against the CONSTITUTION in the name of the ' flag '!? The Constitution is our only hope, properly comprehended and acted upon; the flag can be changed by Congressional fiat and so is in flux at all times.

And anyone who has such little respect for our country, or for the symbols that the average American is so proud to display, should seriously consider leaving.

Throwing stiff arm salutes or worshipping a piece of cloth may be the way for YOU to express your patriotism, but remember that when you get to Court, it will be the Constitution that defends you, and not the legions of screaming ninnies wailing because their precious piece of cloth was used to promote discussion about political issues.

I do not care if it a Mexican or American or Bosnian or the last cannibal on the Congo, the RIGHT to free expression must NOT be thrown away by the emotional ravings of the flag wavers. To them the law means nothing, the Constitution means nothing, only the satisfaction of base and emotionally bereft desires to act out and appear to be some kind of patriot..so sad.

Where the hell do you get off insulting people who love their country? People care about the US, they are proud to be Americans. Just the same way that you are proud to smooch Mr. Bandana-face's arse and loan him your lighter when he wants to desecrate a symbol of our country.

None of the"flag wavers", as they have been called, are wanting to do away with the Constitution. Once again, stop with the drama. I know that it eats away at you because people love the US and are not afraid to show their pride. Poor litle Mr. Bandana-face got his feelings hurt? Too bad.

You and your ilk are the same type that would be marching along with members of Phelp's church when they wave their "Thank God For IED's" banners at the funeral for a soldier that died in war. And you'd be howling up a storm if someone wiped their butt with < insert your favorite religious book here >. But ask you to stand up for your country and you won't do it.

Wow speaker, your post makes me laugh. You will light someone on fire for using a right available to them? The I dont care if its legal or not issue is really quite funny. Why have laws at all if they can be used/thrown aside at will? I would rather someone burn a flag then inflict bodily harm on another. What next, anti-war activists getting lit on fire because they use their rights to protest a war? There are many, many people who justly hate America. Yet their voice is to be ignored? There are many reasons people can't leave the country even if they so desired. Those of you who tell this flag burner to leave because he hates America so much should look in the mirror. You are hating on America too. The rights established are what makes America great, start taking those rights away, and you are left with an ugly shell of a country.

Originally posted by Implosion

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
The guy trying to burn the flag should have had his head stomped in..

Yes, because we all know that a piece of dyed cloth has more worth than an individual member of the human race.

You know what, you can bring that "let's all hold hands and sing kumbaya" crap you want; fact is, the guy needed his ass kicked. End o' story..

[edit on 29-7-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by ninthaxis
There are many, many people who justly hate America. Yet their voice is to be ignored? There are many reasons people can't leave the country even if they so desired.

Yeah, but they sure as hell don't mind taking advantages of the priveleges of living here. Do they? If you hate this country, leave before TRUE Americans put you out!!



[edit on 29-7-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

I have no more to say. This kind of crap enrages me, and those who try to legitimize it and excuse it enrage me just as much.

The guy trying to burn the flag should have had his head stomped in.

Why?

IMHO the guy that took the flag away did the right thing - he took nonviolent positive action and made the "activist" guy look like a complete jackass.

He doesn't need to be harmed physically to be opposed effectively - in fact he's been humiliated in front of untold thousands online now.

I'd argue that's more effective than having his head stomped in.

Beating him would just allow him to claim victim status and be a martyr for his cause.

[edit on 7/29/07 by xmotex]

Probably so,xmotex... This has just always been a touchy spot with me. Even when I was a child I'd cringe when I'd see someone burning the flag, any flag really. However, when it's an American flag, it really hits home for me.

[edit on 29-7-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
The guy that took the flag called the would be flag burner exactly what he a is... "A bitch!!"" I guarantee you, I want someone to try and burn a flag in front of me... The next thing they would know, their ass would be on fire rather than the flag... Dirty rotten bastards!! This really pisses me off that we have scum in this country that take advantage of everything America gives to them, yet they hate it... Freaking leave!!! You will be doing everyone a freaking favor...

too bad we didn't live near each other....we could try that out....
as much as people like you get bunged up about the flag burning, i get bunged up when people behind the keyboard talk about how they's 'kick some ass'(that is essentially what you're saying)...

never mind the constitution and the right to free speech, we gonna wet our wittle feelings stop exactly what the flag is supposed to stand for right?
that is free speech. freedom. right to assemble and all that.

all you patriot types are essentially saying you want at least some aspects of the free speech taken away.

friggin people are unreal

Originally posted by Implosion

Yes, because we all know that a piece of dyed cloth has more worth than an individual member of the human race.

awesome ain't it???

these folk are all bunged up cause of their PERSONAL opinions on what the flag means....never mind that the founding fathers wrote into our constitution that we have rights to free speech....the 'patriots' put far to much stock in the cotton to let it slide...

they'd rather rough up a living, breathing human cause *gasp* they are excercising their rights and the patriot don't agree....

that is totally bizzare....

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Probably so,xmotex... This has just always been a touchy spot with me. Even when I was a child I'd cringe when I'd see someone burning the flag, any flag really. However, when it's an American flag, it really hits home for me.

Try to remember that flag burning is an action designed to manipulate your emotions and provoke anger, for dramatic effect.

The flag burner is angry and wishes to make others angry.

Don't allow him to achieve his aim of provoking you, and you defeat his purpose.

That's why I am quite impressed by what the guy who took the flag did.

He defeated the flag-burning protester without harming him physically at all

[edit on 7/29/07 by xmotex]

Originally posted by Boondock78
friggin people are unreal

Out of everything you said, that was the only correct thing.