Posted on 04/20/2015 12:20:15 PM PDT by shove_it
VALDOSTA -- An Air Force veteran and former Playboy model who was banned from Valdosta State University Friday after taking an American flag from a group of demonstrators is now organizing her own demonstration that she said is to show support for the military and the flag.
Michelle Manhart was detained but not arrested by VSU police after she took the flag from a group of protesters. She said she was not planning to take the flag from the protestors, but she had heard about the group's recent campus demonstrations and wanted to take action.
"I did not want anything like this, but I got a call from a student who told me that the flag was on the ground, and they were walking on it," said Manhart. "I was just going over there to pick up the flag off the ground. I don't know what their cause is, but I went to pick it up because it doesn't deserve to be on the ground."
The group reportedly elected not to press charges against Manhart, and campus police issued her a criminal trespass warning, effectively banning her from the school. She told The Valdosta Daily Times that she resisted arrest after seeing the flag being returned to the group.
Andy Clark, vice president for enrollment, marketing and communications at VSU, said the warning will also ban her from university activities, including graduation and football games.
Manhart, a former United States Air Force Military instructor, is no stranger to controversy. She was placed under investigation in 2007 after posing nude in Playboy magazine.
She was reprimanded and demoted as a result of the investigation and resigned from the service in 2008.
michelle_manhart_flagShe later posed draped with an American flag in a series of videos and photographs for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. In an interview with The Valdosta Daily Times, she said she feels there is a big difference between her photo shoot with the flag and demonstrators walking on it.
"When we originally did that shoot, we did it for a specific cause," said Manhart. "We wanted to portray what we have as Americans when we get rid of all our material things. We wanted to strip the human of all material items and stand behind the flag because if we don't have anything, we still have this. We still have our freedom."
Manhart said she knew the flag would touch the ground during her photo shoot and took preliminary measures to ensure that it was disposed of properly.
"We made sure before the shoot that the flag would be donated to the Boy Scouts, so they could dispose of the American flag since it touched the ground," said Manhart. "We made sure of that. If any part of the flag was touching the ground we wanted to make sure it was done right."
Manhart said she has no regrets about the photo shoot and views it as a celebration of freedom, which she believes stands in stark contrast to Friday's demonstration at VSU.
The group gathered in front of Odum Library declined to identify themselves to the The Valdosta Daily Times or speak with a reporter about their cause.
Protesters did engage with VSU students about using the flag as "a symbol of our protest. When a slave understands his situation and understands he doesn't want to be in slavery, he does not respect or revere anything his slavemaster has put in front of him."
Manhart said she would like a letter of apology from the group and to take possession of the flag so she could dispose of it properly.
Manhart also said she understands that the 1989 Supreme Court decision Texas v. Johnson trumps federal and state statutes concerning flag desecration and protects demonstrators' free speech rights to do what they want with the flag, but she still feels that it should be illegal.
"The bald eagle is a symbol of our country, and back in the 80s it was put on the endangered species list. You can't touch that bird. It's illegal," said Manhart. "If we can do that with a bird, why can't we place that same value on the flag."
Her actions have gained widespread attention since Friday afternoon, and she is in the process of organizing an event for Wednesday that she said would show support for the flag and American military service members.
As for the demonstrators who were walking on the flag, she said she was not on campus long enough to fully understand their cause but might have supported it if it was not for the group walking on the flag.
"I saw what was happening, and I couldn't believe nothing was being done about it. In my head I kept seeing all the caskets of our service members. It was like they were walking on their caskets," said Manhart. "It hurt me so much. I couldn't let it go on."
...she said she feels there is a big difference between her photo shoot with the flag and demonstrators walking on it....
***
Can’t say I agree with her assessment.
He has enough exhibitionists on the payroll already.
That's why she did this, to portray herself as a defender of the flag after she desecrated it in her photo shoot.
Same old hustling, lying crap.
FTA: ""We made sure before the shoot that the flag would be donated to the Boy Scouts, so they could dispose of the American flag since it touched the ground," said Manhart. "We made sure of that. If any part of the flag was touching the ground we wanted to make sure it was done right." ... "I saw what was happening, and I couldn't believe nothing was being done about it. In my head I kept seeing all the caskets of our service members. It was like they were walking on their caskets," said Manhart. "It hurt me so much. I couldn't let it go on."
People wear tee shirts with flags on them all the time - I have some myself. Did you watch the video of how this woman gathered up the The Colors from being trampled on the ground and fiercely protected them from further desecration? This USAF vet should be commended for her action.
No, there isn't a difference. The point is the flag is on the ground at the school and at her photo shoot. It. Is. On. The. Ground.
That said, the cops should be reprimanded for their actions. You do NOT attempt to arrest someone over a class C misdemeanor. It wouldn't have been even that if the cops had got in the protesters' faces about desecrating the flag.
When a slave understands his situation and understands he doesn't want to be in slavery, he does not respect or revere anything his slavemaster has put in front of him."
The only slaves today are those working to give freebies to the EBT crowd who was walking on the flag. Don't like it here? There's a plane leaving every hour outta here. Please, take one.
This photo is 100% wrong and disrespectful for the flag.
This nude vet is a hypocrite. I don’t care what provisions were done for the flag before and after the porn shot. She might as well had used the flag as toilet paper.
Thanks for adding the prior thread
Those are not flags those are depictions of flags.
FWIW she is a PETA nut. Michelle Manhart Goes Naked Youtube video 2:14
Not a problem. Some different perspectives in the comments there.
“The US Flag should not be touching the ground....let alone be used to cover her body...that is just as disrespectful...”..........
IT’S ALWAYS OK WHEN COVERING A COFIN OF ONE OF OUR FALLEN HEROS.
Plus the ‘field of blue’ should be at the upper left, as seen by the viewer.
With the stripes going to the viewers’ right.
Here and there I’m seeing flag protocol ignored.
‘People wear tee shirts with flags on them all the time.’
I believe we are not to use our flag for designing merchandise.
Including eating from a paper plate that is designed to look like our flag.
It’s so obvious that food on these plates is desecrating our flag.
You can probably name other merchandise.
There should be Flag protocol pamphlets readily available - they would be helpful at all times.
Flag on floor no...not appropriate, not a towel either.
Even cub scouts know that.
Hot damn though.
I agree with you about the photo shoot of the nude Zoomie with Old Glory on the floor and the Colors protocol - she should have been standing on my shoulders. But she was 100% correct and patriotic in her efforts to rescue The Flag from those desecrating it on the ground.
Just saw Megan Kelly do a ‘fair and balanced’ interview of the Zoomie in question. I’ll try to find it on the FNC website and post it.
Here’s The Kelly Report ...
Yeap....I served 4 tours in Iraq...but I be damned if I stand there naked covering the important parts of my body and then dispose of said flag afterwards....the flag should either be displayed properly or stored properly....there was nothing wrong with the flag that was used in the photo shoot other than the total disrespect that some needle head thinks she can do what she did while countering those she doesn’t agree with. I have found flags in good order blown Way from storms....I washed them Hung them to dry and displayed them appropriately. Don’t lecture me on some crazy who went out and took on some protesters...she’s no better than they are...there’s a protocol for the US Flag and it should be followed...and if I ever cross paths with her...I would tell her the same...
During the burial of a US service member...falls under US Flag protocol....does not state that said flag should be used in a naked photo shoot for self esteem or other reasons...big difference...
Yep, I smell an attention addict.
Agreed!
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