Family abused for hanging American flag upside down.

I searched and could not find anything on ATS about this.. and I also got this in an email at work so I do not know where to reference it too but im sure its probably on CNN or something.

In July 2007, the Kuhns, a North Carolina couple (pictured above) were terrorized by sheriff’s deputy Brian Scarborough, who broke into their house, assaulted them and then arrested the couple for the crime of flying an upside down U.S. flag.

Buncombe County Sheriff’s deputy Brian Scarborough had just returned from Iraq and according to Deborah Kuhn, was sent by his staff Sergeant from the local National Guard to “deal with” the Kuhns after a local resident complained about the flag, a fact that was later admitted on TV news. A National Guard soldier in military fatigues had also previously visited the Kuhn’s to harass them about the flag.


Even though Kuhn took the flag down, the officer immediately demanded that the couple show their ID’s and when they refused told them to put their hands behind their back and was about to arrest them before the couple shut and locked the door.
Scarborough then proceeded to kick the door in, “And the next thing we know, the glass is flying, he unlocks the deadbolt and he comes into our house after us,” Kuhn told The Alex Jones Show.

The officer then pursued Mark Kuhn through the house before intercepting him in the kitchen and putting him in a choke hold.

The officer then pulled out pepper spray to which Mark Kuhn responded, “Are you going to spray me in my house?” before Scarborough whipped out his billy club and the Kuhn’s ran out of the house into the street, pleading for help from their neighbors.

The couple were handcuffed, arrested and bundled into a squad car, to the protests of numerous neighbors who demanded to know why the Kuhns were being incarcerated, but were told to leave by police.

As is supported by the United States Flag Code as well as a similar incident in 2001, flying the flag upside down is not a mark of disrespect, and in fact is considered by many to be the highest form of patriotism. Despite this fact, the upside down flag is equated in the MIAC report with terrorist paraphernalia.

Sorry but........

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4f35cee017b5.jpg[/atsimg]

Got any?

Flying the flag inverted is an international signal for distress, not patriotism.

If there was no distress, it is the same as yelling Fire in a crowded theater.

All my humble opinion of course.

stories like this make my skin crawl and my blood boil. We as Americans should stand together against this sort of beha-Oh look, Hannah Montana was caught doing drugs yesterday.


America, we have a problem, its now illegal to fly a flag.

Upside down means distress, right?

Seems to me they were plenty in distress.

yea... it sure does seem that way ..lol

reply to post by machines4200


This brings mixed reactions.

These people should not have been assaulted...But they should show respect to the flag.

I believe in freedom of speech and expression but the American flag means a lot, to a lot of people. I personally am not into this type of dedication to pledge allegiance to a "flag" but I can respect the history behind it in some people's perspective.

I will not bash you or your country by giving my true opinion of what the American flag represents. I think it was wrong for them to hang it upside down though.

I live in Canada and have seen this as well. On Saltspring Island in British Columbia which is just north of Seattle. I was driving down one of the main roads and some person had a large Canadian flag upside down on their property. I thought it was rather odd, but was not very offended. No one else seemed to care either, being a small island with a large "hippie" population.

I also think that Canadians are blinded by their flag as well, many citizens of many countries are blinded by their total dedication to what their flag represents, not seeing past the smoke and mirrors.

I think Canada and USA should get new governmental systems in place, and replace our flags. That is just my opinion.

Long story short...the assault was way worse than the upside down flag. They do not even compare in depth of seriousness. The assault is far worse.

reply to post by machines4200


Actually, under the Flag code, article 8a., states that an upside down flag is a sign of distress, or " SOS ". No where in the code does it state its patriotic. Let's not get belligerent.

source: www.ushistory.org...
source: www.senate.gov...

The bottom line is that these folks were spoiling for a fight and they got one. They can't claim they didn't know what possible reaction it might get. So they have no right to complain, really, do they? Everybody got what they wanted.

This just proves the old saying that you can say or do anything you want in the world just as long as you're willing to pay the price for it.

reply to post by Blue Shift


I kinda have to agree! If your gonna talk the talk, better be able to walk the walk in my eyes~

Originally posted by kinda kurious
If there was no distress, it is the same as yelling Fire in a crowded theater.

All my humble opinion of course.

I believe the actual quote is more along the lines of, "You can't yell fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire." Meaning harmful lies are not protected free speech, but if there is a fire, maybe you should say something. It seems to me that this country is in distress, so maybe flying the flag upside down is appropriate.

BTW, that quote is from a Supreme Court decision justifying the prosecution of World War I protestors. The idea being that their concerns about the US entry into World War I were unfounded and therefor not protected speech under the First Amendment.

Who says ATS ain't educational?

WEther they asked for it or not it was completly wrong to bust down their door...try to arrest them for no reason and cause this much harm emotionaly to a couple. (you cant see the picture of them but they are probably in their 50's)

Free speech is free speech.. do we have it or dont we...

Nice contridiction bro. "I believe in freedom of speech BUT..." But you don't really believe in it.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by machines4200

 

I believe in freedom of speech and expression but