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.
Good one.
aclu would only help him if he were burning the us. flag.
I wonder if the mayor is going to change his name back to Tony Villar, if his wife Ms. Rigosa divorces him?
Maybe he and Vicente can just swap ranches?
I believe the Bohmfalks came here from Germany.
One can only imagine the impact of a few thousand vets burning Mexican Flags throughout the country as a court approved function of free speech.
“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.”
“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.”
The only crime of which he is guilty is disposing of garbage on public property.
It works for me!
“In America, every day we see people burning the American flag and it’s become desensitized,” Jakob said.”
We do? Not where I live.
That is an utterly ridiculous statement.
You shouldn't roast marshmallows over burning fabric.
So, there really IS a Bohmfalk, Egypt! Huh, I never knew!
Isn’t Bohmfalk military slang for some obscure duty post in outer Nowhere? Or was that Bumfu... never mind!
Remember the Alamo bump.
I don’t recall?
We aren’t completely gone, contrary to popular belief. There are those of us who are fighting for America and our city, not just against the illegals but against the Commies and Socialists too. We refuse to surrender.
I hope you succeed, but lefties are best at committing suicide. No need to go down with their ship. In San Bernardino County, the current inland border with the Mexican County of Los Angeles, we have new refugees arriving from Los Angeles every day. In the future the real Americans will probably be cutting their losses when forging a New United States or a New America. Los Angeles will probably end up being an isolated county of Mexico. Holding San Diego County will not be an easy task however.
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