State backs down on flagpole rule at protests (Raleigh, NC)

WTVD 11 News ^ | 4/15/2010 | WTVD

[SuperSonic]

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Hours before a large Tea Party protest at the State Capitol, North Carolina officials suspended a rule that would have kept flagpoles and banner supports to a maximum length of 12 inches.

"The Department of Crime Control and Public Safety and the Department of Administration are concerned that Rule 16 poses potential legal questions. As a result, State Capitol Police has suspended enforcement of the rule until a review can be completed," said Crime Control and Public Safety Secretary Reuben Young in a statement.

< snip > Article here

[SuperSonic]

Bring your flags and signs!

[MrB]

They’re afraid that someone will use their flag pole as a weapon.

Show me an incident of this happening and then I’ll do something besides yawn.

[SuperSonic]

They’re afraid that someone will use their flag pole as a weapon.

Show me an incident of this happening and then I’ll do something besides yawn.

"You'll poke your eye out!" - Nanny State

[MrB]

More like -

you might poke OUR eyes out.

[Pining_4_TX]

Well, I guess torches, axes, and pitchforks are right out, then!

[DoughtyOne]

While I am sympathetic to your viewpoint, I do think some limit is reasoned.  Perhaps it would only involve the circumference of said supports, but with the kooks out there these days, and wanting to disrupt the tea parties, it does concern me that those jackasses could carry clubs into our events.  I've met some of those people, and they will stop at nothing to hurt people on the right, even if it costs them personally short term.  Limiting the length of supports to 12 inches, as they have, was ridiculous.

[FreePaul]

They’re afraid that someone will use their flag pole as a weapon.

That used to be common in leftist riots. In Houston some years ago a bunch of hippy protesters went to a Jewish Community Center or a Synagogue with their signs on metal posts. Some of the members came out, took away the signs and used the posts to subdue the protesters. The police finally rescued those who intended to cause harm.

[Matchett-PI]

bttt

[Logical me]

The real enemies of real America is now over control by Government. As soon as we kick out the stupid slave owners that are making us slaves the faster we will become a Constitutional America and get freedom back. WE ARE NOW SLAVES OF THE STATE. Wake up! They are all about controlling the masses and charge us for the benefit. What a life. Example, ask anyone in Arizona about the new speed cameras. It's coming to you.

[Buckeye McFrog]

apparently Anarchist groups have come up with some type of flag poles that can be linked together in long chains to form road barricades at stuff like the G-20

[JimSEA]

Yeah, the should outlaw signs also. I mean paper cuts can be nasty!
I'm sure the local anarchists in Eugene, OR will support this. Or is it
just regulation of Tea Parties?

[SuperSonic]

Bring your flags and signs!

CD, please send this out to the NC pinglist. Thanks!

[lack-of-trust]

who needs a pole?

Use a crane. Bigger flag, higher up.

Or us a big helium balloon (the jumbo kind car lots use for advertising) on a strong line and hang the flag below it.

Government trolls are easy to outwit... put your thinking caps on!

[Billthedrill]

I understand the intention, but I can, after all, carry a .45. What do I need with a flagpole?

[longtermmemmory]

IOW this rule in in place to prohibit the american flag?!

So if these people did not have numbers (and money) their free speech would be meaningless worthless words on paper.

amazing.

[Constitution Day]

That is just GREAT!

I don't run the ping list any more and haven't in a couple of years, at least. I will ping MitchellC, who handles it now!

MitchellC, NC ping please?

[SuperSonic]

Thanks again, CD!

[Constitution Day]

Glad to help. I also asked the moderator to append (Raleigh, NC) to the thread title so that other might notice it more easily.

CD

[SuperSonic]

I also asked the moderator to append (Raleigh, NC) to the thread title so that other might notice it more easily.

I am apprehensive about changing anything in the title. Thanks for taking care of it.

[Constitution Day]

In my experience posting articles here, the mods don’t seem to mind if you put the state/locality in the title. I do not think I have ever been admonished by them for doing that.
Also, I always put it at the end so it won’t mess up the search function.

Glad I could help!