Posted on 10/10/2007 1:27:11 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
It caused some controversy, but it was supposed to. Now, one man is headed to municipal court for burning a Mexican flag in protest in front of the Alamo.
The city is charging 46-year old David Bohmfalk with burning without a permit, even though no one gives permits to burn a flag.
"I was raised to respect my country," Bohmfalk said.
All the rallies and talk of amnesty for undocumented immigrants in May 2006 lit the fires of patriotism for Bohmfalk, he said.
"I just got angry," he said. "I decided I had to do something, make my statement, and that's what I did."
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Bohmfalk had his own protest in front of a building known for revolution, where Davy Crockett and James Bowie made a stand. So did Bohmfalk but he used a lighter instead of gunfighter. Park police cited Bohmfalk for illegal burning of rubbish, even it was a Mexican flag he set ablaze.
"Because of what it's made out of, it took a little while to burn it. It took me two minutes, but I got it lit," Bohmfalk
Authorities say his actions left some of the Mexican nationals in the Alamo crowd feeling burned. However, Bohmfalk's attorney, Jason Jakob, says, freedom of speech is Bohmfalk's constitutional right.
"My client felt so strongly, and exercised protest, by burning that flag," Jakob said.
Bohmfalk says while he was detained by police, he was harassed, his life was threatened, and he was even assaulted by some tourists who spit on him. Ironically, all these offenses are punishable by law. Jakob says flag burning is not.
"In America, every day we see people burning the American flag and it's become desensitized," Jakob said. "If we can allow that, we can certainly say that the Mexican flag can be burned."
As a former Texas police chief and military veteran, Bohmfalk says he knows his rights, and is fighting for them.
"Why should a foreign flag get any better protection than the American flag?" he said.
The city has not returned calls for comment. As for Bohmfalk's right to a speedy trial, that's been delayed as well. His trial has been reset three times.
Paging the ACLU!
US Citizens do not have as many rights as those who despise this country.
You have a right to free speech, that is if you are not dumb enough to actually TRY it.
Next time he should just take a cue from Ozzy Osbourne and take a leak on his Mexican flag at the Alamo.
As a former Texas police chief and military veteran, Bohmfalk says he knows his rights, and is fighting for them.”
_________________________
It’s good to see some patriots burning illegal flags
and/or cutting them down with the ever-ready pocket knife.
Enough is enough.
Bush will make sure he gets the death penalty for this.
Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Calling Chicken Pounder Ronnie Erle Hey Chicken Man.....
Sign of the times bump. Sign of things to come, as well.
Conquered people only have the rights their conquerers and quisling accomplices see fit to dole out to them. We all best get used to it.
B U M P
So I must infer that the police allowed the abuse to happen while he was in their custody. That's a firing offense.
This wasn’t free speech. It was hate speech. Wait! I don’t know any more. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi would know. Help me out here. A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will do. No exceptions. Do flags get equal protection or lack thereof under the law?
Time to burn some more flags.
“Illegal burning of rubbish”!! Even the charge makes a point.
Good for David Bohmfalk! Hope everyone supports his legal challenge! Maybe it would be interesting if there were a “burn-in” of Mexican flags at the Alamo, DC, etc.... They can’t arrest everyone.
Our police chief (Los Angeles) just put out a disgusting report about the police crackdown on the May 1st protest. There was a MALDEF lawyer that said it was too bad that he didn’t address how the police stirred up the protestors. As usual she got it wrong. It was the protestors who incited the police as clearly demonstrated by the film footage.
It’s only ok to burn the American flag. It is against the law to burn a foreign flag. Protection my @$$!!! Send me those foreign flags! I’ll bring the marshmallows!
Should have burned an American flag. No one would have noticed.
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