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Man Charged with Hate Crime for Burning Gay Pride Flags in Harlem
PJ Media ^ | 07/11/2019 | John Ellis

Posted on 07/11/2019 9:09:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

To begin, I want to make crystal clear that I'm opposed to the burning of flags as a means of making a statement. It's childish, not to mention pointless. I'm even less of a fan of burning flags that don't belong to you. That's beyond pointless—it actually harms your cause and it is a crime. I support property rights, after all. That being said, charging someone with a hate crime for burning a flag is a bit much. But that's exactly what may happen to idiot arsonist Tyresse Singleton.

The New York City Police Department broke the news on Twitter that they had arrested Singleton for burning three gay pride flags flown outside of the Alibi Lounge, a gay bar in Harlem. To be more specific, the arrest was announced by the NYC Police Hate Crimes Task Force's Twitter page.

Look, arrest the idiot and throw the book at him. But elevating it to a hate crime takes away from actual hate crimes. Years ago, a gay friend of mine was a victim of gay-bashing. He spent a few days in the hospital. I'm sorry, but a few torched flags are not equal to someone taking a brick to the face.

I get that we live in overly-sensitive times where every single action requires being ramped up to an earth-shattering level of tragedy. And I get that political correctness requires the authorities to treat certain forms of vandalism as extra heinous. But, ask yourself, what do you think someone would be charged with if they burned the Betsy Ross flag proudly waving from your front porch?

If you guessed that the individual would be charged with a "hate crime," you'd be wrong. Never mind that the arsonist most likely would have been motivated by a hatred for you and your patriotism. In that scenario, though, there's a better chance that the person would earn a fat contract to help Nike sell their shoes made by slave labor. And there's an almost 100% chance that burning a Betsy Ross flag that doesn't belong to him would earn him the support and adulation of leftist heroes like Kamala Harris and AOC. It sure wouldn't have earned this statement from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who, according to NBC News, said of the burning of the pride flags: "I am appalled by the burning of yet another pride flag outside an LGBTQ bar in Harlem. This act of hate is repugnant to our values of equality and inclusion, and we will not stand by and allow these cowardly acts to continue in New York."

Again, to be clear, I am thankful that the New York City Police have done their job and taken an idiot vandal off the streets. Tyresse Singleton deserved to be arrested and deserves to be charged with a series of crimes that correspond with his arson. What we don't need is to elevate every instance of stupidity to the level of terrorism.



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: akadeblasio; alibilounge; billdeblasio; clintonnonnews; cnn; flagburning; gaypride; genderdysphoria; harlem; hatecrime; homosexualagenda; newyork; newyorkcity; twitter; tyressesingleton
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To: SeekAndFind

how many muslims are they arresting for burning the Jewish Flag, or for voicing hateful Jewish rhetoric?


21 posted on 07/11/2019 9:24:09 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: SeekAndFind

Destruction of private property is a no no. But even in NY I expect hate crimes charges to be laughed out of court.


22 posted on 07/11/2019 9:25:27 AM PDT by NRx (A man of honor passes his father's civilization to his son without surrendering it to strangers.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Why is it a hate crime?
How do you prove it was done out of hate?


23 posted on 07/11/2019 9:27:26 AM PDT by 48th SPS Crusader (I am an American. Not a Republican or a Democrat)
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To: gibsonguy

You can’t burn someone else’s flag though. You have to buy your own and burn it. Hate crimes are stupid, but we shouldn’t allow people to burn other people’s property for any reason. So this guy should be arrested for property crime.


24 posted on 07/11/2019 9:28:19 AM PDT by Codeflier (Tagline for sale.)
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To: SeekAndFind

In what universe should it be illegal to “hate” something, and to express that hate in a non-violent manner?

If someone burned a Nazi flag, would they be subject to arrest because some Nazi, somewhere, is offended by this blatant show of “hate”?

Or does it only go for leftist, protected sub-groups?

Of course, the answer is obvious... but (to steal one of the RATS’ favorite phrases) this is NOT “who we are.” Maybe those nitwits need to be taught that free speech includes speech that they don’t approve of.


25 posted on 07/11/2019 9:29:15 AM PDT by Pravious
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To: SeekAndFind

Your honor, does the law recognize the difference between “hate” and “disgust”?


26 posted on 07/11/2019 9:29:18 AM PDT by G Larry (There is no great virtue in bargaining with the Devil)
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To: 48th SPS Crusader

Is their a “despise” crime? ...or a “disgust” crime? ...or a ridicule” crime? ...or a...? What complete unconstitutional nitwittery.


27 posted on 07/11/2019 9:31:11 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: Pravious

[[Or does it only go for leftist, protected sub-groups?]]

Yes- apparently it does


28 posted on 07/11/2019 9:33:06 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: SeekAndFind

29 posted on 07/11/2019 9:33:55 AM PDT by mbarker12474
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To: 48th SPS Crusader

[[Why is it a hate crime?
How do you prove it was done out of hate?]]

Exactly- the man might have noticed a cluster of gypsy moth eggs on it and wanted to protect the neighborhood from the invasive destructive caterpillars- he should be rewarded for saving the neighborhood- not arrested-


30 posted on 07/11/2019 9:34:52 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: SeekAndFind

So it’s freedom of speech when you burn an American flag but it’s a hate crime when you burn a flag that represents sexual deviance. Keep it up, leftists, keep it up. What the hell happened to my country?


31 posted on 07/11/2019 9:34:59 AM PDT by AlaskaErik
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To: AlaskaErik

[[What the hell happened to my country?]]

Liberal Communism happened-


32 posted on 07/11/2019 9:35:44 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Innovative

Not guilty - Texas v. Johnson.


33 posted on 07/11/2019 9:35:46 AM PDT by jimfree (My19 y/o granddaughter continues to have more quality exec experience than an 8 year Obama.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Burn a US Flag, Betsy Ross Flag, Gadsden Flag, Confederate Battle flag, all A-OK! “Freedom of speech” they say.

Burn a rainbow flag—”HATE CRIME! HATE CRIME!”


34 posted on 07/11/2019 9:38:05 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: SeekAndFind

We have given certain groups privileged and special rights when they suffer property destruction.


35 posted on 07/11/2019 9:38:44 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: jimfree

problem is hte left have stepped in and declared that ‘hate speech’ (towards certain groups only) is not constitutionally protected free speech and that the state has the right to regulate ‘hate speech’- Hate Speech being whatever they arbitrarily declare is hate speech-

Not sure if the Sc can hear the case or if they will just throw it back to the states to decide whatever they want should be declared to be hate speech- My gut says it’s a SC issue


36 posted on 07/11/2019 9:39:33 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: glorgau; SeekAndFind
For burning a piece of cloth?

NOT a piece of cloth. They were fixtures that someone else owned. You can burn your own flag, if you want. However, wouldn't you want the person arrested if they came to your house and burned your flag ?

37 posted on 07/11/2019 9:42:38 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Burn an American flag (national emblem) and it’s free speech,First Amendment, blah, blah. Burn a rainbow pride flag, and it’s a hate crime, etc. How curious.


38 posted on 07/11/2019 9:45:19 AM PDT by Captain Rhino (Determined effort today forges tomorrow.)
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To: SeekAndFind

So you can get arrested for burning a gay flag, but not an American one?


39 posted on 07/11/2019 9:46:38 AM PDT by Tzimisce
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To: SeekAndFind

? But the women’s US soccer team can trample on the US flag. Overseas??

And the former president congratulates them. The media adores them?


40 posted on 07/11/2019 9:54:36 AM PDT by stanne
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