Man Accused Of Punching, Kicking War Protester Who Was Carrying a Defaced U.S. Flag

WISC-TV ^

[Ronaldus Magnus]

WAUSAU, Wis. -- A man upset that a war protester was parading around downtown Wausau with a defaced American flag is facing a disorderly conduct charge after attacking the demonstrator.

The incident happened Monday afternoon outside the Marathon County Courthouse. Mike Wallschlaeger of Mosine carried an upside down flag with "EMPIRE" written across it.

A fellow demonstrator says a man got out of his car, tried to grab the flag, then pushed Wallschlaeger to the ground, punched and kicked him.

Wausau Police Chief William Brandimore says the right to free speech is protected, but disorderly conduct is not.

[wardaddy]

I don't hit women but I would have made an exception in her case.

[atomic conspiracy]

So far, counter-protestors have not managed to find an analagous method for responding to this kind of provocation.

We should begin to attack and desecrate their sacred symbols: "peace" and "eco" flags (the ones with the chicken track or the "E" symbol in the field), Mumia and Che posters and maybe a big fat (cheap) portrait of Chomsky or Ramsey Clark. These should be spat on, decorated with swastikas and Saddam pictures, dragged in the dirt, and burned. We cannot emulate their tactics in full, however, since I doubt that very many Freepers would be willing to defecate on these hated icons in public. At least I hope I'm not there if someone does.

[PhilDragoo]

I called Casimir Krasowski and he is emphatic that he has no comment.

I offered that he ought not feel isolated as many share his sentiments; that Fox had two major city mayors explaining demonstrations prevent their police responding to normal calls; that one city spends a million a day for police; that Albuquerque now requires a permit for demonstrations and that the permit holder pay the police overtime.

I have had a series of emails with editor Joel Christopher who explained Casimir Krasowski has thus far had no comment, that he, Joel Christopher, is ready to report any comment which Casimir Krasowski is willing to make.

New York arrested 150 today.

Despite the Nuclear Freeze Movement orchestrated by KGB Active Measures Ronald Reagan proceeded with the Pershing Missiles and bankrupted the Soviet Union.

Despite all that the Socialist Worker Party and the rest of Hillary's closet does, the street theater's odor has become toxic.

The left has defeated itself.

[river rat]

"A sixty-three year old man beat up someone?? HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Those libs are such wimps.

Careful there sonny!
I'm that age, and don't doubt for a moment that I could kick the ass off most of the pricks I see marching in those protest circle jerks....

Bare handed.....
Unfortunatly, most of them are so without honor, that you can't insult them sufficiently to have them take the first swing and give you the legal coverage to break their f'en heads...
I can be a pretty salty insulter....but it did no good.
Even the LEO on site, kept looking over his shoulder and shaking his head at my efforts....with a smile.....
Semper Fi

[Squantos]

Goes without saying.........:o)

Not to worry though....I've never been in jail in this country ! ..... Don't get mad ...get even !

Stay Safe !!

[Squantos]

LOL....Awesome !! Get in their face , large and loud !

Stay Safe !

[anton]

Tuesday, March 25, 2003
Truck scatters antiwar protest

---

Driver puts rig on sidewalk near demonstrators

By William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A truck driver from South Fairmount was arrested Monday after he drove toward a group of anti-war protesters with his tractor-trailer rig in the West End.

"It (the semi cab) stopped about 10 feet from the nearest protester," Larry Schartman, one of the about 40 people who were participating in a "Peace in Iraq" rally, said Monday night. "Thank God nobody got hurt."

[jjm2111]

"Careful there sonny!"

You got that one right. I'm 26. :). BTW, most jarheads I know can kick the crap out of someone by sheer force of will. Age, being out of shape, being hung over, etc., plays no part. You could be 80, senile, and drunk, and still beat up most protesters. Why? Because you are a marine.

Even the LEO on site, kept looking over his shoulder and shaking his head at my efforts....with a smile.....

That's priceless. Some of these protesters can give one so much ammunition though.

[Eye4nEye]

Actually, I tried to get the moderator to remove my post but thus far it hasn't been removed. I admit my mistake.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

We should begin to attack and desecrate their sacred symbols: "peace" and "eco" flags (the ones with the chicken track or the "E" symbol in the field), Mumia and Che posters and maybe a big fat (cheap) portrait of Chomsky or Ramsey Clark. These should be spat on, decorated with swastikas and Saddam pictures, dragged in the dirt, and burned.

I am reluctant to suggest this, but there is an analogous symbol that could drive these Anti-Bush protesters to the same level of hostility as flag desecration does to us. The State of Wisconsin has just approved a hunting season on mourning doves and the political left is up in arms about it. I think some sort of sign (or a carry-able miniature "gallows") with actual dead mourning dove carcasses hanging from it would definitely get the Pro-Saddam protesters to escalate to violence while simultaneously conveying a 'diplomacy has failed' message.

[Stone Mountain]

I'm not sure I get your point. Are you saying that it's not a right, but it is legal? If that's the case, what is the point of such a distinction?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"It would seem to me that, a fortiori, the trucker's action was no more than a "peaceful exercise of his free speach rights, as well. (Did I get that right? I hope I did.)"

---

Yup, you got it. Here's the dictionary definition:

a for·ti·o·ri
adv.
For a still stronger reason; all the more.

[Latin :, ab, from + fortir, ablative of fortior, stronger.]

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

[Chummy]

"Burning the flag" is not a right.

"Burning the flag" is among those acts one should not do, according to the US Code.

"Freedom of speech" is a right, more particularly one of the rights given to us by God, described in the Bill of Rights, and secured by the blood of the citizens of the nation whose flag the jerk in Wausau was desecrating.

Somehow, over time, "burning the flag" has become an act that some consider an expression of their freedom of speech.

But in and of itself, it's not a right. It's quite wrong. And, logically, burning the US flag in protest is about as circular as one can get in this realm; in doing so, the actor is actually denouncing a nation that protects the right of free speech. Without this nation securing that right, how does the actor then burn a flag in protest?

[Stone Mountain]

I still think I disagree with you when you say it's not a right. It is legal to to desecrate a flag. Therefore, someone has the right to do so. I agree with you that it is something one shouldn't do, particularly according to the US code, but there are many things one shouldn't do that one has the right to do.

[BraveMan]

[Ronaldus Magnus]

I got to get me one!

[HenryLeeII]

HenryLeeII: Being a tool of international socialist organizations that want to undermine the U.S. and capitalism is a symptom of stupidity and gullibility, and is not emblematic of being patriotic or of exercising one's rights...Desecrating the American flag and what she stands for, freedoms that our ancestors have fought and died for, is not a right.

Stone Mountain: Actually, I believe [burning the American flag] is a right, declared constitutional by the Supreme Court.

And also: You're saying we don't have a right to be stupid in this country?

Burning the flag has been protected by the Supreme Court, but it does not trump local public burning laws. Burning anything is illegal in some cases, such as on a public sidewalk, in a crowded urban area, etc. A Supreme Court decision does not create a loophole in those laws for burning a flag.

Also, being stupid is a human attribute, not a right. Too many people completely misunderstand what rights are, what responsibilities are attached to those rights, etc. For example, abortion is a court-protected action, not a right. It was legalized through a court decision and can be overturned with a court decision.

[Stone Mountain]

Burning the flag has been protected by the Supreme Court, but it does not trump local public burning laws. Burning anything is illegal in some cases, such as on a public sidewalk, in a crowded urban area, etc. A Supreme Court decision does not create a loophole in those laws for burning a flag.

Irrelevent. That's why I used the word desecration - of course local fire laws and any other kind of laws apply. I think you knew this too - otherwise, why change the quote of my post to "burning" when I talked about "desecration?" In any case, I was only talking about the right of desecrating the flag - not about local fire ordinances or any other ancillary offense that might come up as a result of desecrating the flag..

Also, being stupid is a human attribute, not a right. Too many people completely misunderstand what rights are, what responsibilities are attached to those rights, etc. For example, abortion is a court-protected action, not a right. It was legalized through a court decision and can be overturned with a court decision.

I think the problem here is that we are confusing rights in the moral sense of the word with rights in the legal sense of the word. When I say that we have a right to desecrate the flag, I am of course, talking about in the legal sense. Morality varies with the beholder. Just as right now, there is a legal right to abortion in this country. If that decision is overturned, that legal right will end. Until then, there is a legal right to abortion in this country.

I still contend that people have a right to be stupid in this country. A legal right, if not a moral right.