Suspected flag burner pilloried

timesunion.com ^ | Sept. 26, 2009 | BOB GARDINIER AND HUMBERTO MARTÍNEZ

[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.

[Eaker]

A great day!

More Pics Here!

[DuncanWaring]

Yeah, yeah ... I know, “Violence never solves anything”, right?

Whatever.

[dr_who]

wardaddy Since Dec 6, 2000

dr_who Since Jul 10, 1998

when freepers start on all that “you people” sort of talk they soon become gone

Is that a threat, "wardaddy"? You should think more about what you say.

[DuncanWaring]

If I don’t have the right to punish vandals, I can’t delegate that right to anyone else to do it on my behalf.

The concept that “taking the law into your own hands” is unacceptable is silly.

[Eaker]

No doubt some will laud this, but I find it despicable.

He could have had them call the cops.

Did it hurt getting the tape off your wrists?

[CMS]

True flag burning is not illegal.

BUT this young man committed at least 3 crimes.
Taking VFW property (flag)----------Theft
Buring said property (flag)---------Arson
Not leaving property when asked-----Tresspassing

Now for the young man's punishment. He was given 3 options.
1. Turned over to police----------He turned this down
2. An old fashioned ass-kicking---He turned this down
3. Strapped to the flag pole------He CHOSE this option

Now since the young man chose option 3 (chose to be restrained) you can't really cry "unlawful restraint" because has was given a way not to be restrained.
Also he could have cried out "call police" or "help" while he was restrained since he was not gagged. No this man sat there till his punsihment was over. After he was released could have called the cops, but he accepted his punishment like a man.

[Eaker]

Is that a threat,

My goodness you scare easy there don't ya lil' feller?

[dr_who]

In certain situations, yes. But as a general principle, that’s a good way to get yourself duckwalked into a police cruiser, hopefully not the same one as the guy who offended you.

[dr_who]

Get lost, loser.

[Eaker]

Get lost, loser.

Is that a threat?

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve Van Doorn]

"it requires humility to be effective"

Liberals have taken Nietzsche’s views of humility where it is a weakness. Today being a pampas ass is their version of a true virtue.

Just a side note Nietzsche’s concepts was used to a great extent in Hitler’s version of Fascism. It doesn't matter that Nietzsche resented this, they still used his concepts.

[DuncanWaring]

Doesn’t sound like a threat to me.

He’s simply stating that when one refers to members of one’s group as “you people”, then one doesn’t really belong to that group anymore.

[dr_who]

Well that too might be the case. Remember 2006 and 2008. And remember who we ended up with as president.

[Hot Tabasco]

Flag burning isn’t illegal,

It wasn't his flag...NOBODY has any legal right to burn someone elses property, what makes you think they do?

1. Have criminal charges filed against him by the owners of the flag

2. Get his ass whipped by the owner of the flag

3. Duct Tape

he had 3 legitimate choices and he went for #3

Whats wrong with that?

[ozzymandus]

Amazingly, we have a person defending flag burning here on FR.

[TonyInOhio]

Choice. It’s what America is all about.

[Eaker]

If one burned a Mexican flag or a koran these very same American flag burning supporters would be bitchin’ a blue streak!

[bikerman]

could have been worse they could have put a pair of panties over his head.

[Lady Jag]

In the middle of their busiest intersection.

[Eaker]

Do they make pillories for pencil necks like Obama?