Trump Threatens Flag-Burning Americans With Loss Of Citizenship Or Jail

Fox News via Zero Hedge ^ | November 29, 2016 10:29 AM | by Tyler Durden

[SeekAndFind]

With snowflakes everywhere across America seemingly content to burn the Stars & Stripes to protest democracy's decision to elect what they have been told is a racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, sexist, tax-fraud as president...

... President-elect Donald Trump has put his foot down in this seemingly most unpatriotic of endeavors:

Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2016

Of course, there is the small issue of changing the Constitution as flag burning remains protected speech by the First Amendment.

The catalyst for Trump's 7 a.m. tweet is unclear. Fox News reported earlier this month that Hampshire College in Massachusetts would stop flying all flags on campus after an American flag was burned following Trump’s win.

"We hope this will enable us to instead focus our efforts on addressing racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic, anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and behaviors," Hampshire's president, Jonathan Lash, said in a statement at the time. 

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) pushed back on Trump’s proposal during an early morning interview. "I don't think we want to make this a legal issue," Duffy told CNN on Tuesday.

And before the liberal media gets hold of this tweet and claims Trump's fascist tyranny is peaking through against constitutionally protected rights to do whatever a citizen wants, don't forget that none other than the Hillary Clinton herself sponsored exactly this punishment in The Flag Protection Act of 2005

In 2005 a bill was introduced that would outlaw burning the American flag.

That bill was introed by: @HillaryClinton & Sen Bennett (R-UT) pic.twitter.com/3hKzTjV0E9

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) November 29, 2016

The Flag Protection Act of 2005 was a proposed United States federal law introduced by Senators Hillary Clinton and Robert Bennett. The law would have outlawed flag burning, and called for a punishment of one year in jail and a fine of $100,000. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the act was summarized as such:

Amends the federal criminal code to revise provisions regarding desecration of the flag to prohibit: (1) destroying or damaging a U.S. flag with the primary purpose and intent to incite or produce imminent violence or a breach of the peace; or (2) stealing or knowingly converting the use of a U.S. flag either belonging to the United States or on lands reserved for the United States and intentionally destroying or damaging that flag.

Early in his presidential campaign, Trump said that he supported revoking the citizenship of babies born to undocumented immigrants, but this appears to be the first time since then that he’s proposed revoking citizenship as a punishment.

[Redbob]

I threaten them with much worse than that...

[Guenevere]

I’m good with it!
Go Trump!

[MotorCityBuck]

+1

[stars & stripes forever]

[Trump Threatens Flag-Burning Americans With Loss Of Citizenship Or Jail]

No wonder! DONALD TRUMP is born on FLAG DAY.

[usual suspect]

I remember the broken window syndrome where if a broken window was left unfixed, soon there may be another broken window which steadily leads to the demise of the neighborhood, lawlessness and gang activity.

I you allow flag burning, kneeling for the national anthem and then cop shootings....

[VR-21]

I understand the sentiment, but he’s going to have to deal with a lot of fruit-loop judges first.

[Lorianne]

He’s wrong and such a proposal would go nowhere.

There more concerning threats than this one to 1A on both sides. We have to defend it from our end and not be hypocrites. 1A all or nothing.

[fwdude]

Can I burn a “gay” flag, then? Right along a “gay” pride parade?

[Ray76]

Congress can not strip citizenship from a person. (Do not conflate this with loss of citizenship for persons who fail to fulfill the requirements of naturalization statute.)

[Timpanagos1]

“I you allow flag burning, kneeling for the national anthem and then cop shootings....’

Would you like to see a federal agency that forces people to stand for the National Anthem?

[PrairieLady2]

Of course, there is the small issue of changing the Constitution as flag burning remains protected speech by the First Amendment.<<<

It’s illegal to deface money, too. Is that a free speech issue as well?

I know the courts have ruled national defacement as a free speech issue, but there IS a fine line between treason and heroism.

[arl295]

Actually starting a fire in public is what the cops charge you with, not burning the flag per se

“Endangering the welfare of others”

Burning combustible material outside a control area

something like that

[Alberta's Child]

Exactly. This is a dumb idea that is only thrown out there to attract media attention.

One of the BEST things about Trump is that he seems to act as if his life is a series of professional wrestling matches.

One of the WORST things about Trump is that he seems to act as if his life is a series of professional wrestling matches.

LOL.

[JoSixChip]

So putting bacon on the walk in front of a mosque is hate speech, but burning a American flag is protected 1A right?

[SandRat]

Exile as a Man/Woman/It without a nation and ban from reentering at anytime for any reason, after jail time.

[Maverick68]

I love Trump, I love my country, but I don’t support the banning/criminalizing of burning the flag, I just don’t feel comfortable giving the Fed that sort of power.....Now what I DO WANT is for every burning of the Stars and Bars is to see 100x that amount of people burning flags/symbols that mean so much to the Left.

[DannyTN]

I would rather not make an exception to the first amendment.

But I would think that there could be consequences for someone who is not a natural citizen.

[arl295]

nope

that can be handled in the private sector

stop watching football

stop buying football related items

and the NFL will feel the pain for not firing that jerk off in the first place

that is how you fix this

[Let's Roll]

Very good!