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.

[Ron H.]

The way things are going, we may have to get out there again.

Ready, willing and able. Let's roll!

[dr_who]

“George Washington and the fellas’ opened fire on other men over a 2 cent rise in the price of a breakfast drink”.

Keep repeating that jest and pretty soon everyone will accept it as fact.

[dr_who]

Don’t worry. I’d much use that two bucks for two sausage biscuits from Hardee’s. Mmmm-mmm!

[Ron H.]

I could buy your patriotism for two bucks.

Sorry bub, but I rather suspect that you couldn't begin to come close to affording my patriotism. I paid a pretty steep price for mine.

[dr_who]

OK, 10 bucks. But that’s as high as I’ll go.

[TalBlack]

“Keep repeating that jest and pretty soon everyone will accept it as fact. “

I think I know where you would have stood in the matter.

Oh, and you forgot to point out how the interior principle of the jest is inaccurate.

[usmcobra]

You mean you never heard of the whiskey rebellion?

[Lady Jag]

You nailed it!

[TigersEye]

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

No doubt some will stand by and wring their hands and whimper while our republic is destroyed from within.

[TigersEye]

Well, thank you for sharing stormer’s chickenshit rules of engagement. ROTFLOL

[PapaBear3625]

He broke the law because he burned property he didn't own. That is stealing and destruction of private property, two laws broken, three actually if you count vandalism. He is lucky he only spent six hours duct taped up.

You might also be able to add arson, over setting fire to property.

[the invisib1e hand]

I hear Nietzche is dead.

[Signalman]

Was it really a “free” choice? I would say it was coerced.

[Ron H.]

OK, 10 bucks. But that’s as high as I’ll go.

10,000,000 comedians out of work and look who's trying to be funny. Gheeeesh, give us a break why don't 'cha pal. Maybe you can still get on at the WhiteHouse, why don't don't 'ya give 'em a call, you might just get lucky. I hear Hussein O. still needs a pet.

[Eaker]

Hey, you supplied the background and 50 million meth-head liberals supplied the subject!

[null and void]

Duct tape. Is there anything it can’t do?

Yes.

But for those things, there's WD-40...

[stormer]

Those are the same guys that would be crying in their beer if some mean ol’ hippies did the same to them. What goes around, comes around. I can't believe there are more people who know that.

[TigersEye]

Karma? Yeah, tell me all about karma. LOL

[null and void]

Let me get this straight; you were writing down license plates and giving them to the police because you disagreed with their sentiment? Thank you, comrade patriot.

Ah yes, I remember you.

Didn't you earn the nickname storm[troop]er on another thread?

IIRC (sorry I'm away from my home computer or I'd give everyone a link to that thread) you were defending actual Nazi tactics that time.

[stormer]

Let me say it again: WRONG! Loser.